Pontiac Academy for Excellence Elementary

Pontiac Academy for Excellence Elementary is a public charter school in Pontiac, MI, serving grades K-5, and it is facing severe academic challenges that place it among the lowest-performing elementary schools in the state.

For the 2025-2026 school year, this school ranks in the bottom 1% of all Michigan elementary schools (1480 out of 1492). Test scores on the M-Step are dramatically below state averages. For example, only about 6% of 4th graders are proficient in reading and math, compared to state averages of roughly 41% and 39%, respectively. Even when compared to other schools in the area that serve similar student populations, this school's performance is notably lower. For instance, Owen Elementary School in the Pontiac City School District has a 19% proficiency rate in 4th-grade reading, and Whitman Elementary School has 11.6%—both still low, but significantly higher than Pontiac Academy's 6.38%. The school's performance with students from low-income backgrounds is also in the 1st percentile statewide, suggesting that the challenges go beyond just student demographics.

There is a stark contrast with nearby schools in different districts. Donelson Hills Elementary School in the Waterford School District serves a similar percentage of low-income students (about 80%) but achieves a 41.2% proficiency rate in 4th-grade reading—more than six times higher than Pontiac Academy. Similarly, schools in the Avondale School District, like Auburn Elementary School, perform far better. This shows that high poverty does not have to mean low performance. One relative bright spot is 5th-grade science, where 11.8% of students are proficient—still low, but the school's highest score. However, with missing data on enrollment and attendance, it is difficult for parents to get a full picture of the school's operations and support systems.