Summary
Northridge Academy is a public PK-8 school in Flint, MI, serving 263 students as its own single-school district, where nearly all students (97.72%) qualify for free or reduced lunch. If you're considering this school, here's what you need to know.
Academically, Northridge is a low-performing school overall, ranking in the 17th percentile statewide for 2025-2026—a drop from the 27th percentile the prior year. This decline follows a period of improvement from 2022-2023 (18th percentile) to 2023-2024 (37th percentile). Performance is below state averages in most subjects and grades, but there are notable bright spots. The 8th-grade class shows real strength, with ELA proficiency at 61.5% (nearly matching the state's 64.8%) and Social Studies at 38.5%. When compared to nearby schools, Northridge outperforms some like Brownell STEM Academy and Greater Heights Academy, but lags behind higher-performing schools in Flushing Community Schools like Springview Elementary School (3rd-grade ELA: 15.6% vs. 42.9%).
One of Northridge's most significant strengths is attendance. Its chronic absenteeism rate is 28.6%—nearly identical to the state average of 27.9%—which is remarkable given that many nearby schools with similar demographics struggle with rates above 50%, including Eagles Nest Academy (59.0%) and Brownell STEM Academy (64.6%). This suggests effective student engagement strategies. Additionally, Northridge achieves these results while spending less per student ($12,699) than many peers like Dailey Elementary School ($21,813) and Michael Hamady Elementary School ($20,141).
Keep in mind that test scores fluctuate significantly year-to-year—common for small schools where one cohort can shift results dramatically. For example, 5th-grade ELA proficiency fell from 53.3% to 10% in one year, while 4th-grade ELA jumped from 17.86% to 34.5%. There's also a growing gender gap, with female students now outperforming male students by a wide margin. If you're looking at Northridge, visit the school, talk to teachers, and ask about how they support both strong attendance and academic growth for all students.
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