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Universal Learning Academy

Public, Charter, Alternative Grades PK, KG-12

1266^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,488 Michigan Alternative Schools

Better than 15% of Michigan alternative schools

Summary

Universal Learning Academy is a public charter school located in Westland, Michigan that serves 754 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The school has seen significant improvements in recent years, with its four-year graduation rate increasing from 81.7% in 2022-2023 to an impressive 98.1% in 2023-2024, well above the state average of 82.8%. Additionally, the school's dropout rate has dropped from 8.1% to 0% over the same period, putting it well below the state average.

While Universal Learning Academy's test scores are generally lower than the state averages, there are some bright spots, such as the 7th grade English Language Arts proficiency rate of 34.9%, which exceeds the state average of 39.2%. The school's 11th grade SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing proficiency rate of 43.8% is also closer to the state average of 55.4% compared to other grade levels. However, the school faces challenges with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 29.5% to 33.5% over the past few years, significantly higher than the state average.

When compared to nearby schools, Universal Learning Academy generally performs better than some alternative and charter schools in the area, such as Bradford Academy and Dearborn Public Schools Virtual K12. However, it lags behind the performance of higher-performing schools like Star International Academy and Tipton Academy 48, particularly in areas like test scores and graduation rates. The school's high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 90.32% to 94.93%, indicates that it serves a predominantly low-income student population.

761

Students ?

16.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,764

Per pupil spending ?

90.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

28015 Joy Rd
Westland, MI 48185-5525

(734) 402-5900

District: Universal Learning Academy

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.9%

African American:

6.4%

Two or more races:

1.7%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Universal Learning Academy to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 12th percentile in 2022 → 25th in 2025

Strengths

✓98% graduate in 4 years — above the Michigan average (83%)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 13 percentile points since 2022

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (21% vs 40% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (15th percentile)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school21%

District avg21%

Michigan avg40%

Elementary school

1,266^th of 1,488

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 15%▼ down 28 pts since 2015

From bottom 43% (2015) to bottom 15% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

670^th of 890

Michigan public middle schools ?

Bottom 25%▼ down 20 pts since 2015

From bottom 44% (2015) to bottom 25% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

556^th of 739

Michigan public high schools ?

Bottom 25%▼ down 24 pts since 2016

From bottom 49% (2016) to bottom 25% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

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

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	14.5	1266 of 1488	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.9	1264 of 1486	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	7.6	1376 of 1470	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	8.6	1238 of 1344	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	5.1	1135 of 1153	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	17.3	1172 of 1408	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	29.9	1079 of 1448	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	31.3	1004 of 1466	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2016	41.3	933 of 1548	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2015	46.4	900 of 1580	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2014	27.5	1203 of 1533	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	27.5	1227 of 1563	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	23.9	1296 of 1566	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	30.5	1286 of 1552	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	31.6	1294 of 1552	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	21.9	136 of 173	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	20.4	151 of 184	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	8.3	179 of 180	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	20.8	100 of 117	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.6	235 of 270	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	13.7	1188 of 1338	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.3	1206 of 1342	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	9.4	1225 of 1321	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	7.2	1070 of 1106	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	5.4	891 of 902	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	15.8	1025 of 1171	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.9	1035 of 1443	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	22.2	1084 of 1346	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	18.6	1173 of 1381	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	9.6	1278 of 1350	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	12.9	1000 of 1099	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	7.9	736 of 749	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	23.3	931 of 1134	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	37.9	925 of 1397	33.8%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	18.2	1113 of 1366	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	16.2	1153 of 1347	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	13.9	1072 of 1196	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	29.9	1053 of 1446	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	6.0	1186 of 1206	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.5	1169 of 1204	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	2.9	1192 of 1198	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	3.8	1094 of 1102	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	2.8	1000 of 1005	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	6.0	1111 of 1128	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	20.3	1076 of 1253	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	22.4	670 of 890	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.8	778 of 897	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	12.7	776 of 883	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	13.7	685 of 776	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	5.6	667 of 675	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	14.4	694 of 792	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	31.2	611 of 838	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	20.3	657 of 821	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	20.7	706 of 894	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	45.7	512 of 919	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2014	30.1	687 of 921	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	38.5	605 of 919	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2012	30.9	686 of 900	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	49.8	559 of 858	34.8%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	23.3	86 of 106	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	27.9	118 of 154	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	23.0	608 of 789	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.6	599 of 771	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	14.5	679 of 770	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	14.9	579 of 657	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	3.4	520 of 521	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	16.7	568 of 658	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.8	567 of 794	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	32.7	570 of 832	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	19.4	693 of 836	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	18.4	700 of 825	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.7	562 of 691	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	7.9	514 of 523	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	20.5	578 of 672	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	41.9	511 of 815	37.3%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	16.6	671 of 798	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	8.8	750 of 786	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	10.8	711 of 776	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	13.8	575 of 639	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	29.8	573 of 797	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	12.7	636 of 696	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.9	686 of 701	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	5.3	678 of 688	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	6.2	628 of 638	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	2.0	577 of 577	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	5.9	612 of 624	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	17.7	590 of 678	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	23.4	556 of 739	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	4.6	723 of 743	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	24.9	549 of 735	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	43.2	468 of 824	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	38.3	467 of 835	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2016	47.2	438 of 852	48.6%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	39.6	28 of 53	47.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	78.1	10 of 102	90.2%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	17.8	515 of 629	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	13.0	537 of 611	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	48.0	362 of 710	49.0%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	21.7	507 of 635	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	5.8	632 of 654	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	36.1	399 of 614	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.4	442 of 755	41.5%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	23.7	483 of 628	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	40.3	370 of 611	39.4%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	12.2	570 of 639	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	1.2	636 of 638	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	16.5	563 of 647	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	31.5	496 of 708	29.9%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Elementary school

English Language Learner (2025)21st percentile+6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)19th percentile+5 vs school

Male (2025)19th percentile+4 vs school

Female (2025)11th percentile-4 vs school

White (2025)2nd percentile-13 vs school

Middle school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)31st percentile+7 vs school

Female (2025)23rd percentile~ school

English Language Learner (2025)19th percentile-6 vs school

Male (2025)16th percentile-9 vs school

White (2025)9th percentile-16 vs school

High school

English Language Learner (2025)47th percentile+22 vs school

Male (2025)23rd percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)20th percentile-5 vs school

Female (2025)18th percentile-7 vs school

White (2025)11th percentile-14 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2024-2025) ?

Evidence-Based Reading and Writing44%-12 vs state

English Language Arts23%-18 vs state

Math20%-16 vs state

Social Studies17%-23 vs state

Mathematics17%-14 vs state

Science14%-24 vs state

3.3

3 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★1

4★0

3★1

2★1

1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, February 23, 2016

There has been alot of turnover at this school this year...from the principal to almost all entirely new middle school/high school teachers. Something must be going on for this school to lose that many staff members. I am taking my child out of the school after this year. Many of the teachers that are there try hard, but many of the other students enrolled are troublemakers and constantly disrupt the classes. My child has a hard time even learning in this school because of the disruptions and nothing seems to be done about it...they just continue on as normal. We are not happy here at all!! Close Quote

by a teacher
Saturday, July 19, 2014

I love working with these students.

However, the teachers are now in fear of loosing their jobs because of test scores. A teacher, who worked there longer than 90% of the teachers in the building, had a great rapport with the students, and managed them well in the class just got fired because of her test scores.

Any teacher, student, or administrator would explain how respected she was in the building. She fulfilled extra responsibilities just to help the administration. Unfortunately, none of them were asked before they did not renew her contract.

There are other teachers in the building that do not teach the students and instead just scream at them. Some teachers have had physical altercations with students and they are still in the building.

I am afraid of what this decision will do to the school system as a whole. Teachers may begin loosing focus on the students and instead only worry about the scantron test scores. Close Quote

Schools Near Universal Learning Academy

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				PSAT English Language Arts (2025)	PSAT Mathematics (2025)	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (2025)	SAT 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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th 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 Science 11th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Universal Learning Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	28015 Joy Rd	Westland	48185	Wayne County	Universal Learning Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(734) 402-5900	761	47	16.3	90.9%	692 (90.9%)	49 (6.4%)	5 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (1.7%)								(n/a)	38.3	16.7	43.8	14.6	18.3	23.0	19.0	20.0	34.9	21.7	26.7	10.3	12.3	27.0	15.5	13.3	14.6	6.9	18.3	27.1	$11,764	$1,897	$9,867
Star International Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	24425 Hass St	Dearborn Heights	48127	Wayne County	Star International Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 724-8990	1,728	98	17.6	93.1%	1,623 (93.9%)	46 (2.7%)	24 (1.4%)	23 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	10 (0.6%)								(n/a)	68.4	23.1	59.2	28.6	25.5	33.8	36.7	36.7	31.0	29.2	35.8	34.5	26.6	26.9	37.4	36.8	25.5	23.0	43.6	37.8	$12,667	$1,860	$10,806
Tipton Academy 48	Public, Charter, Alternative	4-12	29205 Florence St	Garden City	48135	Wayne County	Tipton Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(586) 731-5300	255	11	23.1	71.4%	99 (38.8%)	131 (51.4%)	11 (4.3%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.3%)								(n/a)	59.4	18.8				26.4	28.8	18.0	30.0		17.0	15.2	6.0	17.9	22.7	34.4		19.7	40.6		$9,314	$171	$9,143
Howe Trainable Center and Montessori	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	22586 Ann Arbor Trl	Dearborn Heights	48127	Wayne County	Dearborn City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 827-7000	247	29	8.4	74.9%	221 (89.5%)	15 (6.1%)	3 (1.2%)	5 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)								(n/a)					27.3	47.1	75.0			54.5	41.2	81.3			68.8			62.5			$32,652	$2,139	$30,514
Vista Meadows Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	20651 West Warren St	Dearborn Heights	48127	Wayne County	Vista Meadows Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 240-4347	86	5	16.5	100.0%	3 (3.5%)	80 (93.0%)	3 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																					$16,101	$4,182	$11,919
Keeler School	Public, Alternative	K-12	17715 Brady	Redford	48240	Wayne County	Redford Union Schools District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(313) 242-3900	99	16	6.1	55.6%	54 (54.5%)	39 (39.4%)	4 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.0%)								(n/a)						27.3															$49,942	$2,438	$47,504
Burger Development Center	Public, Alternative	K-12	28865 Carlysle St	Inkster	48141	Wayne County	Garden City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(734) 729-1830	108	42	2.5	37.0%	63 (58.3%)	34 (31.5%)	1 (0.9%)	6 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	3 (2.8%)								(n/a)																					$71,695	$3,541	$68,154
David Ellis Academy West	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	19800 Beech Daly Rd	Redford	48240	Wayne County	David Ellis Academy West	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 450-0300	725	44	16.6	90.6%	0 (0.0%)	721 (99.4%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	54.5	6.1			16.0	42.3	21.8	29.2	23.9	14.8	21.1	6.9	7.9	10.2	16.1	24.2		6.9	25.8		$12,163	$2,238	$9,926
Benjamin Franklin Middle School	Public, Alternative	6-11	33555 Annapolis St	Wayne	48184	Wayne County	Wayne-Westland Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(734) 419-2402	619	36	17.1	67.9%	231 (37.3%)	278 (44.9%)	51 (8.2%)	7 (1.1%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (7.9%)								(n/a)	51.6	9.0						10.3	21.3				4.1	8.7		28.4			31.6		$19,382	$2,632	$16,750
Dearborn Public Schools Virtual K12	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	18700 Audette St	Dearborn	48124	Wayne County	Dearborn City School District	No	No	Yes	No	(313) 827-3023	515	18	29.0	78.4%	492 (95.5%)	19 (3.7%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	37.5	7.1	37.0	9.6			27.8	16.7	25.0			16.7		10.3	16.7	15.8	6.5		10.7	9.1	$14,613	$1,043	$13,570

Frequently Asked Questions about Universal Learning Academy

What district is Universal Learning Academy in?

Universal Learning Academy

What is the racial makeup of Universal Learning Academy?

Students at Universal Learning Academy are 91% White, 6% African American, 2% Two or more races.

Is Universal Learning Academy a good school?

Universal Learning Academy ranks in the bottom 14.9% of Michigan alternative schools.

How many students attend Universal Learning Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 761 students attended Universal Learning Academy.

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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.