University Prep Science and Math Elementary Miller Campus

University Prep Science and Math Elementary Miller Campus is a K-5 public charter school in Detroit, MI, serving 476 students in a community where over 70% of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

This school faces real challenges, but there are also bright spots worth knowing about. Overall, the school ranks in the bottom quarter of Michigan elementary schools, and more than half of its students (52.2%) are chronically absent—meaning they miss so much school that it seriously impacts learning. That rate is nearly double the state average, though it is lower than the Detroit Public Schools Community District average. On a positive note, the school shows a clear strength with its African American students, ranking in the 53rd percentile statewide for this group—a much stronger result than its overall ranking. Additionally, reading skills improve steadily as students move up: proficiency climbs from 18.1% in 3rd grade to 37.8% in 5th grade. However, math tells a different story, with proficiency dropping from 27.8% in 3rd grade to just 15.9% by 5th grade, suggesting students need more support as math gets harder.

When comparing nearby options, two schools stand out. Chrysler Elementary School and Detroit Edison Public School Academy serve similar student populations but rank in the 68th and 70th percentiles respectively, with much lower chronic absenteeism (22.6% and 30.5%). This shows higher achievement is possible in the same neighborhood. University Prep also spends more per student ($14,368) than Detroit Edison ($12,535), yet outcomes lag behind. For parents, the key takeaway is that while this school has notable strengths—especially in reading growth and with its African American students—addressing absenteeism and learning from higher-performing nearby schools will be critical to improving overall results.