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University Yes Academy

Public, Charter, Alternative Grades K-12

1296^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,488 Michigan Alternative Schools

Better than 13% of Michigan alternative schools

Summary

University Yes Academy is an alternative public charter school in Detroit, Michigan that serves 440 students in grades K-12. The school faces significant challenges, with high rates of chronic absenteeism and low academic performance compared to state averages. The student population is predominantly economically disadvantaged, with over 90% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

University Yes Academy has struggled with extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 29.5% to 53.4% in recent years, which is much higher than the state average. This appears to be a key driver of the school's poor academic performance, with only 10.2% of 7th graders proficient in English Language Arts and just 5.45% of 6th graders meeting math proficiency, compared to state averages of 39.2% and 24.8%, respectively. Despite spending significantly more per student ($14,455 in 2023-2024) than the state average, the school has not been able to improve student outcomes.

Interestingly, nearby alternative schools like AGBU AlexMarie Manoogian School and The School at Marygrove serve similar student populations but achieve much higher academic results. This suggests that with the right interventions and support, University Yes Academy may be able to improve student outcomes and better serve its community.

388

Students ?

20.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,455

Per pupil spending ?

91.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

14717 Curtis St
Detroit, MI 48235

(313) 270-2556

District: University Yes Academy

Racial breakdown:

African American:

99.2%

Two or more races:

0.8%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare University Yes Academy to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 18th percentile in 2018 → 5th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (16% vs 42% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (13th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (45% vs 28% Michigan)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school16%

District avg16%

Michigan avg42%

Elementary school

1,296^th of 1,488

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 13%▲ up 8 pts since 2015

From bottom 5% (2015) to bottom 13% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

844^th of 890

Michigan public middle schools ?

Bottom 5%▼ down 3 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Middle 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	13.1	1296 of 1488	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	11.7	1318 of 1486	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	5.8	1426 of 1470	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	4.7	1374 of 1408	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	12.1	1323 of 1448	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	5.6	1418 of 1466	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	6.1	1492 of 1548	3.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	8.0	1503 of 1580	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	4.2	1516 of 1533	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	5.9	1522 of 1563	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	34.9	221 of 369	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	33.3	216 of 348	37.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	18.2	282 of 321	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	16.3	197 of 212	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	39.8	272 of 475	42.7%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	15.0	1160 of 1338	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	10.8	1232 of 1342	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	12.6	1183 of 1321	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	3.9	1162 of 1171	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	12.4	1295 of 1443	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	19.5	1127 of 1346	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	16.2	1213 of 1381	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	9.1	1286 of 1350	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	6.6	1106 of 1134	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	18.4	1210 of 1397	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	10.0	1262 of 1366	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	12.1	1212 of 1347	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	13.1	1277 of 1446	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	7.9	844 of 890	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	11.1	817 of 897	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	7.1	848 of 883	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	6.5	750 of 776	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	6.2	761 of 792	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	21.6	691 of 838	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	17.7	685 of 821	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	5.8	867 of 894	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	9.2	848 of 919	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	5.7	895 of 921	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	9.4	857 of 919	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	20.5	295 of 338	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	29.1	206 of 300	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	18.8	273 of 310	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	21.3	157 of 182	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	18.7	176 of 196	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	46.2	172 of 366	53.0%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	5.9	771 of 789	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.4	738 of 771	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	6.7	637 of 658	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	25.2	605 of 794	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	8.4	799 of 832	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	14.2	753 of 836	9.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	9.2	787 of 825	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	9.0	661 of 691	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	8.4	645 of 672	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	27.7	621 of 815	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	11.6	722 of 798	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	17.5	661 of 786	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	17.0	664 of 797	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆

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 (2025)40th percentile+27 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)16th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2025)13th percentile~ school

Male (2025)8th percentile-5 vs school

Middle school

African American (2025)13th percentile+8 vs school

Male (2025)10th percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)4th percentile~ school

Female (2025)2nd percentile-3 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts17%-24 vs state

Math15%-22 vs state

Science12%-28 vs state

Social Studies11%-36 vs state

★

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Schools Near University Yes 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
University Yes Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	14717 Curtis St	Detroit	48235	Wayne County	University Yes Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 270-2556	388	19	20.4	91.2%	0 (0.0%)	385 (99.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)								(n/a)	26.1				20.4	15.8	19.5	18.2	10.2	26.5	18.4	9.8	5.5		14.6	10.6			10.6		$14,455	$4,694	$9,761
David Ellis Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	18977 Schaefer Hwy	Detroit	48235	Wayne County	David Ellis Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 450-0642	206	15	14.2	92.7%	0 (0.0%)	205 (99.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	75.0	25.0			14.3	36.8	29.2	56.5	17.7	17.9	26.3		13.0		12.5	35.0			50.0		$15,301	$1,538	$13,762
The School at Marygrove	Public, Alternative	K-12	8425 W McNichols Rd	Detroit	48221	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 335-1331	606	38	15.9	68.3%	8 (1.3%)	597 (98.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)								(n/a)			53.4	21.9	56.1	47.2				41.5	47.2						40.8			45.1	$19,175	$2,161	$17,015
NOVA Discipline Academy	Public, Alternative	2-12	13900 Granzon St	Oak Park	48237	Oakland County	Oak Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 336-7650	108	6	18.0	84.3%	3 (2.8%)	102 (94.4%)	2 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																				14.8	$28,288	$3,091	$25,197
AGBU AlexMarie Manoogian School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	22001 Northwestern Hwy	Southfield	48075	Oakland County	AGBU Alex-Marie Manoogian School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(248) 569-2988	426	27	15.6	54.9%	420 (98.6%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	77.1	65.7	48.9	24.4	61.5	59.3	55.6	27.6	50.0	73.1	63.0	51.9	41.4	38.9	44.4	55.6	33.3	37.0	63.9	46.7	$12,095	$00	$12,095
Kennedy Learning Center	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	16229 Mount Vernon St	Southfield	48075	Oakland County	Southfield Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 746-8828	46	5	9.2	52.2%	2 (4.3%)	41 (89.1%)	2 (4.3%)	1 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																					$35,754	$4,177	$31,577
Joy Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	15055 Dexter Ave	Detroit	48238	Wayne County	Joy Preparatory Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 340-0023	161	12	13.3	99.4%	0 (0.0%)	159 (98.8%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)						33.3	26.7	27.8	64.3	14.3				42.9	33.3						$15,055	$3,683	$11,372
Edison	Public, Alternative	K-12	1650 Mapledale St	Ferndale	48220	Oakland County	Hazel Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	No	(248) 658-5400	65	9	7.1	53.8%	31 (47.7%)	30 (46.2%)	3 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																					$00	$00	$00
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
Jardon Vocational School	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	2200 Woodward Hts	Ferndale	48220	Oakland County	Hazel Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	No	(248) 658-5950	34	7	4.5	32.4%	17 (50.0%)	15 (44.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.9%)	1 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																					$00	$00	$00

Frequently Asked Questions about University Yes Academy

How many students attend University Yes Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 388 students attended University Yes Academy.

What is the racial makeup of University Yes Academy?

Students at University Yes Academy are 99% African American.

What district is University Yes Academy in?

University Yes Academy

Is University Yes Academy a good school?

University Yes Academy ranks in the bottom 12.9% of Michigan alternative schools.

Rate University Yes 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.