Elementary Schools in Taylor School District

The Taylor School District operates seven elementary schools serving Kindergarten through 5th grade in a high-poverty, urban-suburban Michigan community where the district ranks in the bottom 12% statewide, yet individual schools show dramatically different outcomes.

For parents, the standout choice is Blair Moody Elementary School, which ranks in the 30th percentile statewide and is the only school where 3rd grade ELA and math proficiency (44.1% in both) actually exceeds Michigan state averages—a remarkable feat given that 79% of its students qualify for free/reduced lunch. Kinyon Elementary School is the most improved, climbing from the 17th to 29th percentile over three years, with the district's lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 28.3% (matching the state average). At the other extreme, Myers Elementary School is in crisis: with a 95.87% poverty rate, a staggering 75.9% chronic absenteeism rate (nearly triple the state average), and a 0th percentile state ranking, its test scores languish in single digits. The remaining schools—Clarence Randall Elementary School, Bernice McDowell Elementary School, Taylor Parks Elementary School, and Holland Elementary School—fall in between, with chronic absenteeism ranging from 36% to 47% and proficiency rates generally 15-25 points below state averages.

The single most important factor separating schools is attendance. District-wide chronic absenteeism is 47.2%—69% higher than the state average—and the correlation is stark: schools with better attendance (Kinyon at 28.3%, Blair Moody at 39.8%) dramatically outperform those with worse attendance (Myers at 75.9%). Notably, per-student spending varies from $19,912 to $23,355, but money doesn't predict success—Myers spends above the district median yet produces the worst results, while Blair Moody spends the most and achieves the best outcomes. Grade-level data also reveals a troubling pattern: 3rd grade performance is consistently stronger than 4th and 5th grades, and social studies proficiency is catastrophically low district-wide at just 9.6% versus the state's 27.5%. For parents, the practical takeaway is clear: prioritize schools with stronger attendance cultures, and understand that even the district's best schools face significant challenges that require active parental involvement to overcome.