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American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary

Q: Is American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary a good school?

American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary ranks 525 th of 896 Michigan middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades 2-8

525^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 896 Michigan Middle Schools

Better than 41% of Michigan middle schools

Summary

American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary is a public charter school in Westland, MI, serving 289 students in grades 2 through 8, where about 61% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This school stands out most for its exceptional results with African American students—ranking in the 81st percentile statewide in 2025-2026, a 4-star performance that far exceeds its overall school rating. That said, the school's overall state ranking sits in the lower-middle tier (41st percentile), and it faces significant challenges, particularly in math and attendance.

Perhaps the most striking finding is the dramatic gap between subjects. In 8th grade, students scored remarkably well on the PSAT English Language Arts exam (71.4% proficient, beating the state average of 64.8%), yet only 10.7% were proficient in PSAT math—less than a third of the state average. This pattern holds across grade levels: 5th graders hit 33.3% proficiency in ELA versus 43.8% statewide, but just 13.3% in math compared to 32.2% statewide. The school also shows promise in 8th-grade science, jumping from 13.9% proficiency to 39.3% in one year, essentially tying the state average. However, chronic absenteeism remains a serious concern at 37%, well above the state's 27.9% and more than double the rate at nearby Riley Upper Elementary School (15.1%).

Compared to its higher-performing neighbors in the Livonia Public Schools School District, the academic gaps are stark—at Cooper Upper Elementary School, just 0.76 miles away, 5th-grade math proficiency is 39.5% versus 13.3% here. Yet American Montessori spends less per student ($14,554) than nearby districts like Garden City ($17,552) or Livonia's Frost Middle School ($18,868), while still achieving strong outcomes for its African American students. The school's performance is notably inconsistent year-to-year, making it hard to predict long-term trends, but for parents prioritizing strong ELA instruction and a proven track record with African American learners, this school offers genuine strengths worth exploring.

289

Students ?

16.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,554

Per pupil spending ?

60.9%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Michigan receive free school meals.

30055 Joy Rd
Westland, MI 48185-1728

(313) 533-0000

District: American Montessori Academy

Racial breakdown:

African American:

58.1%

White:

25.3%

Hispanic:

9.7%

See top rated Michigan middle schools

Compare American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 35th percentile in 2014 → 41st in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 6 percentile points since 2014

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (26% vs 40% meeting standards)

!High chronic absenteeism (37% vs 28% Michigan)

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school26%

District avg26%

Michigan avg40%

Elementary school

1,141^st of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 24%▲ up 6 pts since 2016

From bottom 17% (2016) to bottom 24% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

525^th of 896

Michigan public middle schools ?

Bottom 41%▲ up 13 pts since 2017

From bottom 28% (2017) to bottom 41% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

447^th of 625American Montessori 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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	22.1	1141 of 1492	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	28.8	1030 of 1488	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	19.0	1178 of 1486	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	13.6	1255 of 1470	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	15.1	1153 of 1344	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	14.9	1020 of 1153	11.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	19.7	1144 of 1408	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	24.0	1157 of 1448	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	16.0	1229 of 1466	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	17.6	1281 of 1548	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	24.4	1236 of 1580	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	44.2	940 of 1533	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2013	45.4	922 of 1563	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2012	40.9	1045 of 1566	33.3%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	50.6	148 of 388	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	67.9	67 of 369	81.8%	★★★★☆
2024	55.7	112 of 348	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	31.8	205 of 321	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	37.5	128 of 212	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	51.5	183 of 475	61.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	19.7	1105 of 1343	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	29.1	943 of 1338	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	17.0	1142 of 1342	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	13.4	1175 of 1321	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.3	867 of 1106	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.0	911 of 1171	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.6	1136 of 1443	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	26.7	1021 of 1352	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	33.4	902 of 1346	33.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	29.3	1010 of 1381	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	15.1	1177 of 1350	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	17.8	948 of 1099	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	31.3	553 of 749	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	24.8	915 of 1134	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.0	1121 of 1397	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	28.8	955 of 1372	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	36.8	837 of 1366	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	24.2	1016 of 1347	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	11.7	1198 of 1334	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	8.6	1085 of 1139	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	12.5	1091 of 1196	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	24.0	1121 of 1446	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2018	15.9	394 of 403	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	39.3	730 of 1199	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	42.6	702 of 1206	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	24.2	948 of 1198	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	32.7	787 of 1128	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	29.2	948 of 1253	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	39.4	525 of 896	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	21.9	675 of 890	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.3	693 of 897	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	39.2	520 of 883	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	31.7	526 of 776	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	25.9	514 of 675	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	22.9	629 of 792	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.8	677 of 838	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	27.8	589 of 821	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	40.6	600 of 921	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2013	38.3	607 of 919	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2012	37.8	611 of 900	32.1%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	69.3	63 of 337	81.3%	★★★★☆
2025	37.2	190 of 338	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	79.6	40 of 310	87.1%	★★★★☆
2018	32.8	233 of 366	36.3%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	45.1	401 of 789	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	36.2	492 of 789	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.2	363 of 770	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	32.6	361 of 521	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	26.9	498 of 658	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.3	627 of 794	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	60.8	258 of 834	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	38.8	511 of 832	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	24.6	644 of 836	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	45.2	421 of 825	49.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	46.1	259 of 523	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	45.3	371 of 672	44.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	28.4	618 of 815	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	45.4	404 of 813	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	17.7	662 of 798	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.5	610 of 786	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	31.7	527 of 776	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	28.4	394 of 540	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	27.2	596 of 797	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2018	41.0	394 of 678	41.9%	★★☆☆☆

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

African American (2026)62nd percentile+38 vs school

White (2026)39th percentile+16 vs school

Male (2026)30th percentile+7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)24th percentile~ school

Female (2026)18th percentile-6 vs school

Special Education (2018)2nd percentile-18 vs school

Middle school

African American (2026)81st percentile+40 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)69th percentile+28 vs school

Male (2026)50th percentile+9 vs school

Female (2026)49th percentile+8 vs school

White (2018)42nd percentile+23 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Science32%-8 vs state

English Language Arts29%-11 vs state

Social Studies23%-16 vs state

Math16%-20 vs state

Mathematics11%-22 vs state

1.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, October 23, 2023

The School is unbelievably mismanaged. We pulled our daughter out 1 month into 2nd grade because she was being verbally and physically assaulted because she is white. The school has a clear bias and tolerates black on white racism and assault. They will tell you otherwise but actions speak louder than words. Based on Michigan’s bullying policy, the school did not follow the proper procedures. In fact, the student handbook doesn’t even cover bullying other than saying they will not tolerate it. We are one of so many families currently dealing with this hatred from the students but a lot of them are in the same position as us to move our kids out. The school can't maintain a principal and they are losing teachers on a regular basis. We chose this school because of advance placement options. Our daughter was doing 3rd grade work in 2nd grade. The school is a great option if you are from an area with a terrible school district but if you have a halfway decent public school, do not send your child here. We live in Lionvia, thankfully, so we were able to get her back into our local elementary school. The lower campus, pre-1st, was wonderful so we, like many, were given a false impression of how the upper campus is handled. Close Quote

by a parent on FaceBook
Wednesday, May 30, 2012

My 5th grade son came from a well known and wonderful school district. At the time of entering American Montessori he was an all A student. By the time report cards rolled out, he was all D's and one E! Shortly after his teacher was fired, and the principle found it necessary to tell the whole class. (many students were very upset.) Since then my son has complained about students being violent (throwing chairs, kicking other classmates, and also one instance of someone being stabbed in the hand with a pencil. It is truly sad my son went from loving school to hating it. I WILL NOT BE COMING TO THIS SCHOOL NEXT YEAR! Close Quote

Schools Near American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				PSAT English Language Arts (2026)	PSAT Mathematics (2026)	M-Step English Language Arts (2026)					M-Step Math (2026)					M-Step Science (2026)		M-Step Social Studies (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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 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 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
American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary	Public, Charter	2-8	30055 Joy Rd	Westland	48185	Wayne County	American Montessori Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 533-0000	289	17	16.6	60.9%	73 (25.3%)	168 (58.1%)	28 (9.7%)	3 (1.0%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.2%)	39.4	525^th of 896 public middle schools	41.4%		21.9	675^th of 890 public middle schools	24.2%	150	71.4	10.7	29.5	25.0	33.3	32.4	23.5	22.7	12.5	13.3	1563.9	14.7	26.7	39.3	8.9	46.4	$14,554	$2,551	$12,003
Emerson Middle School	Public	6-8	29100 W Chicago St	Livonia	48150	Wayne County	Livonia Public Schools School District	No	No	No	No	(734) 744-2665	638	35	18.0	34.2%	471 (73.8%)	71 (11.1%)	43 (6.7%)	8 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (7.1%)	60.7	293^rd of 896 public middle schools	67.3%		45.9	463^rd of 890 public middle schools	48.0%	170	68.8	39.5					41.6					39.1		33.6		46.4	$16,589	$756	$15,833
Cooper Upper Elementary School	Public	5-6	28550 Ann Arbor Trl	Westland	48185	Wayne County	Livonia Public Schools School District	No	No	No	Yes	(734) 744-2710	638	39	16.3	34.6%	460 (72.1%)	76 (11.9%)	49 (7.7%)	12 (1.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.1%)								(n/a)					53.6	50.6				39.5	47.4		36.3		26.5		$15,567	$1,434	$14,133
Riverside Middle School	Public, Magnet	5-8	25900 W Warren St	Dearborn Heights	48127	Wayne County	Crestwood School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(313) 274-6792	1,139	67	17.0	71.9%	1,052 (92.4%)	54 (4.7%)	16 (1.4%)	5 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (1.1%)	46.8	447^th of 896 public middle schools	50.1%		36.1	550^th of 890 public middle schools	38.2%	103	65.8	30.0			42.8	38.6	29.7			28.1	40.1	28.6	30.1	26.1	10.8	32.9	$16,007	$1,720	$14,287
John D Pierce Middle School	Public	6-8	25605 Orangelawn	Redford	48239	Wayne County	South Redford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 937-8880	577	37	15.8	62.7%	55 (9.5%)	453 (78.5%)	23 (4.0%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (7.1%)	23.8	661^st of 896 public middle schools	26.2%		24.5	650^th of 890 public middle schools	27.0%	11	46.0	18.5				24.1	24.5				16.4	15.5		17.2		37.1	$18,955	$1,380	$17,576
Garden City Middle School	Public	7-8	1851 Radcliff St	Garden City	48135	Wayne County	Garden City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(734) 762-8400	423	26	16.5	47.3%	313 (74.0%)	44 (10.4%)	38 (9.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.4%)	27.6	633^rd of 896 public middle schools	29.4%		25.4	637^th of 890 public middle schools	28.4%	4	56.8	15.5					22.0					22.4		24.8		30.1	$17,552	$1,529	$16,023
Farmington 56 Campus	Public	5-6	33411 Marquette St	Garden City	48135	Wayne County	Garden City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(734) 762-8460	455	25	17.9	49.5%	352 (77.4%)	31 (6.8%)	42 (9.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (5.9%)								(n/a)					29.0	25.6				13.3	18.1		22.6		13.8		$17,323	$2,124	$15,199
Frost Middle School	Public	6-8	14041 Stark Rd	Livonia	48154	Wayne County	Livonia Public Schools School District	No	No	No	No	(734) 744-2670	641	41	15.7	25.3%	429 (66.9%)	88 (13.7%)	39 (6.1%)	47 (7.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (5.8%)	87.7	88^th of 896 public middle schools	90.2%		87.3	92^nd of 890 public middle schools	89.7%	4	81.4	52.0					52.4					50.7		55.7		73.4	$18,868	$725	$18,143
Riley Upper Elementary School	Public	5-6	15555 Henry Ruff St	Livonia	48154	Wayne County	Livonia Public Schools School District	No	No	No	No	(734) 744-2680	615	32	19.0	17.4%	490 (79.7%)	37 (6.0%)	43 (7.0%)	14 (2.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.7%)								(n/a)					62.6	51.3				46.5	50.8		50.6		32.5		$14,826	$344	$14,482
American International Academy Upper Elementary	Public, Charter	4-6	28955 Rosewood St	Inkster	48141	Wayne County	American International Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(734) 713-5525	225	12	18.2	95.6%	0 (0.0%)	218 (96.9%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.2%)								(n/a)				9.7	8.9	1559.5			1361.7	1454.1	1555.4		1468.2		1462.4		$00	$00	$00

Frequently Asked Questions about American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary

How many students attend American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 289 students attended American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary?

Students at American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary are 58% African American, 25% White, 10% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% American Indian, 1% Asian.

What district is American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary in?

American Montessori Academy

Is American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary a good school?

American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary ranks 525^th of 896 Michigan middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate American Montessori Academy Upper Elementary!

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Latest Michigan data All new data »

2021–22 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026

2025–26 M-Step, PSAT & SAT test scoresSep 4, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

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.