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William C Abney Academy Elementary

Public, Magnet, Charter Grades K-6

1318^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,488 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 11% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

William C Abney Academy Elementary is a public magnet charter school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, serving 292 students from kindergarten to 6th grade. The school is part of the William C. Abney Academy district, which is ranked 569 out of 613 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite the school's higher spending per student compared to some nearby schools, William C Abney Academy Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom 10% of Michigan elementary schools, with academic performance significantly below the state average across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in 2024-2025, only 12.8% of 3rd graders and 21.7% of 5th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state averages of 38.9% and 44.4%, respectively. The school's performance is also lower than nearby high-performing schools, such as Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center and Lakeside School.

Additionally, William C Abney Academy Elementary has experienced high rates of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 29.5% to 55.3% in recent years, which is significantly higher than the state average and the rates of nearby schools like Gerald Dawkins Academy (29.5%) and Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center (29.5%). The school serves a student population that is predominantly from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, which is higher than the rates of nearby schools.

273

Students ?

14.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,597

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1435 Fulton St E
Grand Rapids, MI 49503-3853

(616) 454-5541

District: William C. Abney Academy

Racial breakdown:

African American:

89.4%

Hispanic:

5.1%

Two or more races:

4.4%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare William C Abney Academy Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 3rd percentile in 2013 → 11th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 8 percentile points since 2013

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (18% vs 41% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (11th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (55% vs 28% Michigan)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school18%

District avg18%

Michigan avg41%

1,318^th of 1,488

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 11%▲ up 4 pts since 2015

From bottom 7% (2015) to bottom 11% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

569^th of 613William C. Abney 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
2025	12.1	1318 of 1488	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	9.4	1336 of 1470	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	4.6	1313 of 1344	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	5.7	1353 of 1408	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	9.5	1373 of 1448	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	4.0	1444 of 1466	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	9.5	1412 of 1548	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	9.4	1465 of 1580	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	8.5	1442 of 1533	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	6.1	1515 of 1563	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	6.7	1525 of 1566	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	27.2	1324 of 1552	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	49.2	1080 of 1552	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2009	48.7	1083 of 1589	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2008	39.5	1203 of 1577	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	51.0	979 of 1565	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2006	32.4	1281 of 1545	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	29.7	254 of 369	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	26.2	250 of 321	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	17.2	138 of 158	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	19.8	184 of 212	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	33.8	305 of 475	35.8%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2023	8.3	1243 of 1321	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	10.8	1323 of 1443	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	18.7	1138 of 1346	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	13.2	1212 of 1350	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	6.4	1074 of 1099	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	9.3	1086 of 1134	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	13.7	1277 of 1397	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2023	9.5	1240 of 1334	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	9.9	1337 of 1446	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

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 (2025)31st percentile+20 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)15th percentile+4 vs school

Male (2023)7th percentile~ school

Female (2023)6th percentile-3 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2024-2025) ?

Science22%-19 vs state

English Language Arts16%-26 vs state

★

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Schools Near William C Abney Academy Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				PSAT English Language Arts (2025)	PSAT Mathematics (2025)	M-Step English Language Arts (2025)				M-Step Math (2025)			M-Step Science (2025)		M-Step Social Studies (2025)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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 Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
William C Abney Academy Elementary	Public, Magnet, Charter	K-6	1435 Fulton St E	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	William C. Abney Academy	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	(616) 454-5541	273	20	14.0	100.0%	2 (0.7%)	244 (89.4%)	14 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	12 (4.4%)	12.1	1318^th of 1488 public elementary schools	11.4%					(n/a)			12.8		21.7					21.7				$18,597	$5,838	$12,759
Congress Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	940 Baldwin St SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2201	237	11	20.9	62.9%	94 (39.7%)	67 (28.3%)	60 (25.3%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.9%)	54.4	656^th of 1488 public elementary schools	55.9%		52.1	679^th of 1486 public elementary schools	54.3%	23			25.8	33.3	60.0		25.8	21.2	45.0	60.0		41.5		$18,001	$5,195	$12,806
Campus Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	710 Benjamin Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2535	210	14	15.5	92.4%	16 (7.6%)	133 (63.3%)	44 (21.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (7.6%)	5.3	1462^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	1.7%					(n/a)				9.3	10.8			8.9						$19,206	$5,903	$13,303
Martin Luther King Leadership Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	645 Logan St SE	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2600	299	16	18.4	92.3%	14 (4.7%)	216 (72.2%)	51 (17.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.0%)	8.2	1392^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	6.5%					(n/a)	46.2		12.5		18.4		12.5		10.5	7.7				$18,326	$5,891	$12,435
Wealthy School	Public	K-5	1961 Lake Dr SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	East Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 235-7550	462	25	18.5	6.9%	384 (83.1%)	17 (3.7%)	19 (4.1%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (8.0%)	97.6	18^th of 1488 public elementary schools	98.8%		91.7	84^th of 1486 public elementary schools	94.3%	66			89.3	76.9	81.9		85.3	71.8	67.5	78.3		77.1		$12,716	$306	$12,410
Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center	Public, Charter	K-5	409 Lafayette Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center	Yes	No	No	Yes	(616) 459-0330	287	17	16.9	29.3%	190 (66.2%)	35 (12.2%)	38 (13.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (7.7%)	90.6	113^th of 1488 public elementary schools	92.4%		84.3	202^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	86.4%	89			68.0	66.7	70.7		66.0	58.7	61.0	68.3		53.7		$12,389	$1,096	$11,293
Gerald Dawkins Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	1050 Fisk St SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Gerald Dawkins Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(517) 281-8626	152	13	11.6	96.7%	1 (0.7%)	135 (88.8%)	10 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.9%)	18.4	1189^th of 1488 public elementary schools	20.1%					(n/a)			25.0	33.3			14.3	14.3						$30,193	$8,645	$21,547
Gerald R Ford Academic Center	Public	PK, KG-8	851 Madison Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2640	213	13	16.1	85.4%	2 (0.9%)	109 (51.2%)	95 (44.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.3%)	19.8	1164^th of 1488 public elementary schools	21.8%		27	1068^th of 1486 public elementary schools	28.1%	96	44.0	16.0	25.0	29.0	16.0	21.7	21.9	29.0		16.0	24.0		48.0	$18,840	$5,567	$13,272
Coit Creative Arts Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	617 Coit Ave NE	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2390	246	18	13.8	71.5%	87 (35.4%)	73 (29.7%)	50 (20.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (13.4%)	46.2	773^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	48.1%		38.2	881^st of 1486 public elementary schools	40.7%	108			48.6	50.0	34.3		44.4	36.8	8.6	42.9		22.9		$20,368	$5,766	$14,602
Lakeside School	Public	K-5	2325 Hall St SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	East Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 235-7553	453	26	17.2	7.5%	376 (83.0%)	6 (1.3%)	34 (7.5%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.7%)	98	14^th of 1488 public elementary schools	99.1%		97.9	14^th of 1486 public elementary schools	99.1%				77.8	81.5	84.6		76.5	77.8	75.6	83.3		71.8		$12,458	$307	$12,151

Frequently Asked Questions about William C Abney Academy Elementary

What district is William C Abney Academy Elementary in?

William C. Abney Academy

How many students attend William C Abney Academy Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 273 students attended William C Abney Academy Elementary.

Is William C Abney Academy Elementary a good school?

William C Abney Academy Elementary ranks in the bottom 11.4% of Michigan elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of William C Abney Academy Elementary?

Students at William C Abney Academy Elementary are 89% African American, 5% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

Rate William C Abney Academy Elementary!

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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.