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Cole Academy

Q: Is Cole Academy a good school?

Cole Academy ranks 1011 th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades K-5

1011^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 32% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Cole Academy is a small, K-5 public charter school in south-central Lansing, MI, serving just 155 students and operating as its own independent district—a sharp contrast to the much larger neighboring schools within the Lansing Public School District.

After a tough couple of years, Cole Academy is showing signs of a strong turnaround. The school’s most recent state ranking jumped to the 32nd percentile, a major rebound from the 11th–13th percentile range it sat in during the prior two years. That improvement now puts it ahead of most of its closest geographic competitors, including Lyons School, Lewton School, Wexford Montessori Magnet School, Forrest G Averill School, Willow School, and Dwight Rich School of the Arts, all of which rank in the bottom third statewide. The rebound is especially visible in 3rd-grade scores, where math proficiency jumped from 25% to 44% and reading from about 21% to 32%. However, 4th-grade scores remain a concern, with only 15% proficiency in both subjects, suggesting some students may struggle as they move up in grade levels.

One of the most striking things about Cole Academy is how efficiently it uses its resources. The school spends about $10,638 per student—less than half of what nearby schools like Dwight Rich School of the Arts ($24,193) or Cavanaugh School ($23,372) spend—yet it achieves better outcomes than most of them. Cole Academy also stands out for its lower chronic absenteeism rate (34.5%) compared to neighbors like Willow School (64.6%) and Dwight Rich School of the Arts (55%). While the school’s small size means year-to-year results can swing significantly, the recent upward trend—combined with a lean budget and improving attendance—makes Cole Academy a school worth watching for families seeking an efficient, improving option in the Lansing area.

155

Students ?

25.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,638

Per pupil spending ?

66.5%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Michigan receive free school meals.

96.6%

Kindergartners complete for all required vaccines (2025-26)

Exemptions: 3.4% (any vaccine)

1915 W Mount Hope Ave
Lansing, MI 48910-2434

(517) 372-0038

District: Cole Academy

Racial breakdown:

African American:

38.1%

Hispanic:

24.5%

White:

18.7%

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At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 47th percentile in 2015 → 32nd in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (28% vs 38% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 15 percentile points since 2015

!English Language Arts scores 17 pts below the Michigan average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school28%

District avg21%

Michigan avg38%

1,011^th of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 32%▼ down 11 pts since 2016

From bottom 43% (2016) to bottom 32% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 2Elementary Schools in the Cole Academy

444^th of 625Cole Academy among Michigan districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	29.4	1011 of 1492	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	12.6	1293 of 1486	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	10.5	1306 of 1470	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.9	959 of 1344	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	32.2	789 of 1153	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	50.0	663 of 1408	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.1	614 of 1448	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2017	49.5	697 of 1466	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2016	44.3	885 of 1548	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2015	49.6	838 of 1580	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2014	46.2	895 of 1533	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2013	47.2	895 of 1563	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2012	46.5	921 of 1566	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2011	61.0	756 of 1552	51.3%	★★★☆☆
2010	71.3	472 of 1552	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2009	34.5	1294 of 1589	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	26.9	1356 of 1577	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	31.9	1293 of 1565	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	47.4	1036 of 1545	32.9%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2022	86.0	12 of 158	92.4%	★★★★★
2018	79.5	54 of 475	88.6%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2024	20.0	1088 of 1342	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	14.8	1156 of 1321	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	64.2	506 of 1443	64.9%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2024	27.1	1042 of 1381	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.6	884 of 1099	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	46.0	614 of 1134	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	58.1	565 of 1397	59.6%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2023	32.6	884 of 1334	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	51.8	722 of 1446	50.1%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

African American (2022)92nd percentile+64 vs school

Male (2023)34th percentile+23 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)25th percentile+12 vs school

Female (2024)19th percentile+6 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Math31%-7 vs state

English Language Arts24%-17 vs state

4.5

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, September 12, 2016

Great school! Caring teachers/faculty. Challenging curriculum. My Son struggled at his previous school. After enrolling at Cole Academy, his grades improved dramatically and his excitement for school has never been higher. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, July 24, 2014

Love this school! The principal, Mr. Shaunessy, is EXCELLENT. My son has had a very positive experience here. Close Quote

Schools Near Cole Academy

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				PSAT English Language Arts (2026)	PSAT Mathematics (2026)	M-Step English Language Arts (2026)					M-Step Math (2026)					M-Step Science (2026)		M-Step Social Studies (2026)		Vaccination (2025-26)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	Vaccination: Kindergartners complete for all required vaccines	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Cole Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	1915 W Mount Hope Ave	Lansing	48910	Ingham County	Cole Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(517) 372-0038	155	6	25.8	66.5%	29 (18.7%)	59 (38.1%)	38 (24.5%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (18.1%)	29.4	1011^th of 1492 public elementary schools	32.2%					(n/a)			32.0	15.0	1470.8			44.0	15.0	1461.8			1465.5		1466.5		96.6%	3.4%	$10,638	$1,785	$8,853
Dwight Rich School of the Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	2600 Hampden Dr	Lansing	48911	Ingham County	Lansing Public School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(517) 755-1160	562	31	17.9	92.5%	93 (16.5%)	262 (46.6%)	85 (15.1%)	37 (6.6%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	82 (14.6%)	6.5	1447^th of 1492 public elementary schools	3.0%		5.6	1454^th of 1488 public elementary schools	2.3%	7	41.1	328.8	1257.5	11.6	7.4	13.9	14.3	1260.6	7.2	4.4	4.2	11.1	8.7	10.8	1464.8	17.3	83.9%	7.1%	$24,193	$3,467	$20,726
Lewton School	Public	PK, KG-8	4000 Woodcreek Ln	Lansing	48911	Ingham County	Lansing Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(517) 755-1460	272	19	14.6	70.2%	40 (14.7%)	29 (10.7%)	172 (63.2%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (10.7%)	25.5	1077^th of 1492 public elementary schools	27.8%		12.3	1312^th of 1488 public elementary schools	11.8%	235	36.4	321.4	33.3	16.7	22.2	12.0	1667.6	36.7	19.4	22.2	1566.7	1663.5	38.9	1774.4	22.2	18.2	90.9%	6.8%	$22,959	$2,966	$19,994
Holly Park Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	3300 Express Ct	Lansing	48910	Ingham County	Holly Park Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(517) 882-9585	478	28	17.0	91.2%	35 (7.3%)	233 (48.7%)	119 (24.9%)	17 (3.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	73 (15.3%)	23.7	1107^th of 1492 public elementary schools	25.8%		30.9	998^th of 1488 public elementary schools	32.9%	109	50.0	13.9	28.6	33.9	19.2	25.9	28.9	28.6	33.3	9.6	13.8	20.0	15.4	25.0	1471.8	27.8	78.9%	15.8%	$15,781	$2,096	$13,685
Forrest G Averill School	Public	PK, KG-4	3201 Averill Dr	Lansing	48911	Ingham County	Lansing Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(517) 755-1220	232	19	12.2	90.9%	41 (17.7%)	95 (40.9%)	38 (16.4%)	21 (9.1%)	4 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (14.2%)	11.5	1342^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	10.1%		10.3	1351^st of 1488 public elementary schools	9.2%	9			8.9	26.5				17.8	11.8								94.1%	3.9%	$19,696	$3,765	$15,932
Willow School	Public	PK, KG-5	221 Huron St	Lansing	48915	Ingham County	Lansing Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(517) 755-1680	273	18	14.9	89.7%	38 (13.9%)	126 (46.2%)	50 (18.3%)	4 (1.5%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (19.4%)	13.8	1300^th of 1492 public elementary schools	12.9%		9	1374^th of 1488 public elementary schools	7.7%	74			19.1	14.3	26.1			17.6	10.2	10.9			28.3		8.7		90.6%	3.8%	$20,784	$3,140	$17,644
Cavanaugh School	Public	PK, KG-4	300 W Cavanaugh Rd	Lansing	48910	Ingham County	Lansing Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(517) 755-1250	245	17	14.1	80.8%	55 (22.4%)	78 (31.8%)	62 (25.3%)	7 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (17.6%)	70.4	398^th of 1492 public elementary schools	73.3%					(n/a)			56.1	44.0				56.1	36.0								88.7%	7.5%	$23,372	$3,306	$20,066
Lyons School	Public	PK, KG-4	2901 Lyons Ave	Lansing	48910	Ingham County	Lansing Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(517) 755-1480	242	16	14.9	89.7%	68 (28.1%)	53 (21.9%)	53 (21.9%)	25 (10.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (17.8%)	16.9	1240^th of 1492 public elementary schools	16.9%		12.8	1304^th of 1488 public elementary schools	12.4%	64			18.4	21.3				32.7	8.5								83.7%	10.2%	$18,929	$3,079	$15,850
Windemere Park Charter Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	3100 W Saginaw St	Lansing	48917	Ingham County	Windemere Park Charter Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(517) 327-0700	580	37	15.6	86.4%	73 (12.6%)	201 (34.7%)	164 (28.3%)	14 (2.4%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	125 (21.6%)	48.1	728^th of 1492 public elementary schools	51.2%		50.9	704^th of 1488 public elementary schools	52.7%	24	58.5	29.3	26.5	44.3	51.6	46.2	53.3	34.9	35.7	37.5	40.4	35.6	29.7	22.0	21.9	34.1	90.8%	3.1%	$14,611	$1,427	$13,184
Meryl S Colt Early Childhood Education Center	Public	PK-K	4344 W Michigan Ave	Lansing	48917	Eaton County	Waverly Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(517) 323-3777	184	22	8.2	73.9%	35 (19.0%)	51 (27.7%)	46 (25.0%)	13 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (21.2%)								(n/a)																	90.6%	5.9%	$20,399	$1,805	$18,594

Frequently Asked Questions about Cole Academy

How many students attend Cole Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 155 students attended Cole Academy.

What district is Cole Academy in?

Cole Academy

What is the racial makeup of Cole Academy?

Students at Cole Academy are 38% African American, 25% Hispanic, 19% White, 18% Two or more races.

Is Cole Academy a good school?

Cole Academy ranks 1011^th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Cole Academy!

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Latest Michigan data All new data »

2021–22 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026

2025–26 M-Step, PSAT & SAT test scoresSep 4, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Michigan Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.