Gerald Dawkins Academy

Gerald Dawkins Academy is a single K-5 elementary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, serving 152 students in a high-poverty area where nearly all students (96.71%) qualify for free or reduced lunch.

For parents considering this school, the most important takeaway is that Gerald Dawkins Academy faces significant academic challenges but shows some promising bright spots. The school ranks in the bottom third of Michigan schools (27th percentile in 2025-2026, up from 20th percentile the prior year), with proficiency rates well below state averages in most subjects and grades. Math is a particular concern—5th grade math proficiency was just 13.64% compared to 32.2% statewide, and 3rd/4th grade math was around 14% in the prior year. However, 5th grade English Language Arts stands out as a genuine success story: 40.9% of students were proficient, nearly matching the state average of 43.8%. This is remarkable given the school's demographic profile and suggests that grade-level success is achievable. The school also invests heavily in its students with $20,430 per-pupil spending and a favorable 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio, which provides smaller class sizes that can support individualized attention.

The most pressing issue parents should understand is chronic absenteeism—43.9% of students miss 10% or more of the school year, far exceeding the state average of 27.9%. This likely drives much of the low academic performance, as nearly half the student body loses significant instructional time. With only about 30 students per grade, proficiency percentages can swing dramatically from year to year based on just a few students, so parents should interpret year-over-year changes cautiously. The school's improvement in state ranking (moving up 99 positions) offers modest encouragement, but the inconsistent performance across grades and subjects suggests outcomes depend heavily on specific teachers and student cohorts rather than consistent school-wide practices. For parents, the 5th grade ELA results provide hope that with targeted attention to attendance and math instruction, broader gains are possible at this committed, well-resourced school.