Linden Charter Academy

Linden Charter Academy is a public charter school in Flint, MI, serving 789 students in Pre-K through 8th grade, operating as its own district within a community where over 92% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

This school stands out for its remarkable success with African American students, ranking in the 75th percentile statewide for this group—a full 44 points higher than its overall ranking. That's a consistent pattern over three years, suggesting the school has found strategies that work well for this population. Another bright spot: 8th graders scored 66.7% proficiency in Social Studies, which is 16 points above the state average, and they nearly matched state averages in 8th-grade English Language Arts (64.3% vs. 64.8%). Even more surprising, 8th-grade math scores on the PSAT came in at 41.4% proficiency—8 points above the state average—despite much lower math scores in earlier grades. This suggests strong middle-school interventions or particularly effective teaching at that level.

The biggest challenge is chronic absenteeism: 54.1% of students miss significant school time, nearly double the state average of 27.9%. This is common among nearby Flint-area schools like Northridge Academy and Dye Elementary, but far higher than schools in the more affluent Flushing Community Schools district, where rates hover around 13%. Math proficiency in elementary grades is also a weakness—only 12.3% of 5th graders met state standards, compared to 32.2% statewide. Despite these hurdles, Linden spends less per student ($13,255) than many neighbors yet outperforms them—including Brownell STEM Academy, which spends over $33,000 per student. The school has climbed from the 8th percentile in 2021 to the 31st percentile today, showing steady, real progress.