Adams Middle School

Adams Middle School in Westland, MI, serves 591 students in grades 6-8 as part of the Wayne-Westland Community School District, a mid-sized school where over 65% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Adams faces significant academic challenges, consistently ranking in the bottom 12th percentile of Michigan middle schools over the past five years. Proficiency rates trail both district and state averages in every subject and grade level. For example, only 7.8% of 8th graders were proficient in math, compared to 33.2% statewide. The most striking concern is chronic absenteeism: 55.8% of students missed 10% or more of the school year in 2024-2025, nearly double the state average of 27.9%. This makes it very difficult for students to keep up with instruction. There was also a sharp drop in 6th-grade English Language Arts proficiency, falling from 22.2% to 14.9% in just one year. While Adams is not alone in struggling—nearby Benjamin Franklin Middle School has similar issues—it lags behind Adlai Stevenson Middle School, a sister school in the same district that ranks in the 25th percentile and outperforms Adams in most subjects.

There are a few bright spots worth noting. In 8th-grade English Language Arts, 42.5% of Adams students were proficient, a much smaller gap from the state average than in other subjects. This suggests literacy may be a relative strength. However, the school spends a substantial $19,432 per student—more than higher-performing nearby schools like Cooper Upper Elementary School ($15,567) or Garden City Middle School ($17,552)—yet outcomes remain low. For parents, this indicates the core challenges are tied to attendance and socio-economic factors rather than a lack of funding. If you're considering Adams, it's important to understand that the school is working against deep-rooted obstacles, and you may want to ask about specific attendance support programs and literacy interventions when speaking with staff.