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Light of the World Academy

Q: Is Light of the World Academy a good school?

Light of the World Academy ranks 768 th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades K-8

768^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 49% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Light of the World Academy is a small, private K-8 school in Pinckney, MI, serving 222 students as its own single-school district. It stands out for its remarkable upper-grade academics, particularly in science and social studies, though it faces challenges with chronic absenteeism and a recent dip in overall state rankings.

The school's biggest strength is clearly in its middle school years. In 8th grade, an impressive 81.25% of students were proficient in science and 75% in social studies—more than double the state averages. This isn't a fluke; the school has consistently posted scores 30-40 points above state levels in these subjects for three straight years. Students also shine on the 8th-grade PSAT, with 81.25% proficient in ELA and 56.3% in math, far exceeding state averages. Interestingly, the school shows a "tale of two schools" pattern: 3rd and 4th graders score below state averages in ELA and math, but by 7th grade, students dramatically outperform the state (61.1% vs. 38.4% in ELA). This suggests the school is highly effective at accelerating growth in later grades, even if early foundational skills lag. For comparison, nearby Navigator Upper Elementary School outperforms Light of the World in 3rd-grade ELA (47.9% vs. 33.3%), but the gap reverses by middle school.

However, parents should be aware of two concerns. Chronic absenteeism is a major issue, with 39.1% of students chronically absent in 2024-2025—far higher than the state average of 27.9% and dramatically above nearby schools like Hawkins Elementary School (9.3%) or Country Elementary School (10.8%). Additionally, there's a significant gender achievement gap: the school ranks in the 48th percentile for female students but only the 31st percentile for males—a stark reversal from two years ago when boys outperformed girls. On the positive side, the school is cost-efficient, spending $11,615 per student (less than all nearby public schools) while maintaining a favorable 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio. For families prioritizing strong middle school preparation in science and social studies, this school delivers exceptional results, though early elementary options in the surrounding Pinckney Community Schools may be stronger academically.

222

Students ?

13.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,615

Per pupil spending ?

30.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

550 E Hamburg St
Pinckney, MI 48169-9105

(248) 254-3445

District: Light of the World Academy

Racial breakdown:

White:

95.0%

African American:

3.2%

Two or more races:

1.4%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Light of the World Academy to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 58th percentile in 2018 → 49th in 2026

Worth a look

!High chronic absenteeism (39% vs 28% Michigan)

!Ranking has slipped — down 9 percentile points since 2018

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school42%

District avg42%

Michigan avg40%

Elementary school

768^th of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 49%▼ down 9 pts since 2018

From top 42% (2018) to bottom 49% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

136^th of 896

Michigan public middle schools ?

Top 15%▲ up 8 pts since 2018

From top 23% (2018) to top 15% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

174^th of 625Light of the World 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	45.4	768 of 1492	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	49.7	719 of 1488	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.7	585 of 1486	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	52.3	655 of 1470	55.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	58.8	498 of 1344	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	46.3	569 of 1153	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	50.5	653 of 1408	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.2	613 of 1448	57.7%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	44.1	694 of 1343	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.0	753 of 1338	43.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.2	628 of 1342	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	44.1	700 of 1321	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	44.6	474 of 902	47.5%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	28.9	953 of 1372	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	36.3	849 of 1366	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	61.4	475 of 1347	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	65.6	411 of 1334	69.2%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	34.9	795 of 1199	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	36.5	787 of 1206	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	47.0	623 of 1204	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	43.5	675 of 1198	43.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	51.1	532 of 1102	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	39.1	616 of 1005	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	37.6	719 of 1128	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.3	780 of 1253	37.7%	★★☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	80.7	136 of 896	84.8%	★★★★☆
2025	80.8	133 of 890	85.1%	★★★★☆
2024	77.0	156 of 897	82.6%	★★★★☆
2023	78.8	141 of 883	84.0%	★★★★☆
2018	74.3	192 of 838	77.1%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	73.7	147 of 789	81.4%	★★★★☆
2024	72.3	148 of 771	80.8%	★★★★☆
2023	73.5	136 of 770	82.3%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	72.1	160 of 687	76.7%	★★★★☆
2025	74.6	142 of 696	79.6%	★★★★☆
2024	68.8	169 of 701	75.9%	★★★★☆
2023	71.8	154 of 688	77.6%	★★★★☆
2018	61.9	220 of 678	67.6%	★★★☆☆

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

Female (2026)48th percentile~ school

White (2026)34th percentile-15 vs school

Male (2026)31st percentile-18 vs school

Middle school

Female (2025)81st percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)77th percentile-8 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Science71%+32 vs state

Mathematics50%+17 vs state

Social Studies45%+6 vs state

English Language Arts42%~ state avg

Math29%-7 vs state

3.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, August 26, 2021

Loosing faith in this school.. My kids started this school 4 years ago. Everything was good until I was divorced. Communication with this school is impossible when you are a single father. I have been battling this battle for almost 2 full years now. The school has no problems communicating with my children's mother about upcoming events, issues, or COVID related items. But for me as the father nothing. I've tried calling, emailing, and even going up to the school but nothing. No changes what so ever. I have made sure they had the correct contact information more than once. They have all the correct information. But the correct information is only useful if someone actually uses it. I am at the end of my rope with this one. Unfortunately i can't pull my children from this school because surprise surprise the ex likes the school. So if you are a single father with joint custody of your children and they go here. Be prepared to be in the dark about your child's education. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, February 5, 2019

AMAZING SCHOOL Small Class Sizes, Teachers who Care, Safe Atmosphere Close Quote

Schools Near Light of the World Academy

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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/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	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
Light of the World Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	550 E Hamburg St	Pinckney	48169	Livingston County	Light of the World Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(248) 254-3445	222	16	13.8	30.6%	211 (95.0%)	7 (3.2%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	45.4	768^th of 1492 public elementary schools	48.5%		49.7	719^th of 1488 public elementary schools	51.7%	49	457.5	50.0	33.3	35.7	46.2	38.5	61.1	11.1	28.6	34.6	23.1	50.0	65.4	81.3	26.9	75.0	$11,615	$126	$11,489
Navigator Upper Elementary School	Public	3-5	2150 E M 36	Pinckney	48169	Livingston County	Pinckney Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(810) 225-5300	491	29	17.2	21.2%	442 (90.0%)	7 (1.4%)	24 (4.9%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.6%)	10 (2.0%)	55.5	621^st of 1492 public elementary schools	58.4%		59.8	562^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	62.2%	59			47.9	45.9	47.7			42.9	38.8	35.4			46.0		21.1		$13,323	$752	$12,571
Farley Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	8110 Farley Rd	Pinckney	48169	Livingston County	Pinckney Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(810) 225-6400	233	13	18.0	23.2%	218 (93.6%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.4%)	3 (1.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)								(n/a)																	$16,290	$737	$15,552
Country Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	2939 E M 36	Pinckney	48169	Livingston County	Pinckney Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(810) 225-6600	192	11	17.2	26.0%	174 (90.6%)	2 (1.0%)	6 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	2 (1.0%)	6 (3.1%)								(n/a)																	$16,645	$752	$15,892
Parker Middle School	Public	K-8	400 Wright Rd	Howell	48843	Livingston County	Howell Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(517) 552-4600	1,011	46	21.9	21.4%	916 (90.6%)	4 (0.4%)	55 (5.4%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	29 (2.9%)	58.1	583^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	60.9%					(n/a)	71.1	35.6	40.6	45.8	70.0	37.9	30.6	31.3	50.0	65.0	32.6	37.1	55.0	38.7	40.0	44.0	$14,314	$545	$13,769
Three Fires Elementary	Public	K-5	4125 Crooked Lake Rd	Howell	48843	Livingston County	Howell Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(517) 548-6387	753	46	16.4	33.6%	672 (89.2%)	1 (0.1%)	42 (5.6%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (4.4%)	45.2	773^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	48.2%		54.9	648^th of 1488 public elementary schools	56.5%	125			31.1	43.7	38.5			31.8	42.1	30.3			33.0		33.9		$15,410	$901	$14,509
Hornung Elementary School	Public	K-4	4680 Bauer Rd	Brighton	48116	Livingston County	Brighton Area Schools	No	No	No	No	(810) 299-4450	558	31	18.0	9.1%	525 (94.1%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (2.7%)	8 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.6%)	93.2	80^th of 1492 public elementary schools	94.6%		94.5	60^th of 1488 public elementary schools	96.0%	20			61.2	74.3				67.0	79.6								$13,402	$572	$12,830
Whitmore Lake Elementary School	Public	K-6	1077 Barker Rd	Whitmore Lake	48189	Washtenaw County	Whitmore Lake Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(734) 449-2051	401	34	11.9	38.9%	337 (84.0%)	13 (3.2%)	19 (4.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	30 (7.5%)	50.5	688^th of 1492 public elementary schools	53.9%		57.2	606^th of 1488 public elementary schools	59.3%	82			40.9	39.6	45.6			50.0	43.1	24.6			38.6		26.3		$19,841	$813	$19,029
Hawkins Elementary School	Public	K-4	8900 Lee Rd	Brighton	48116	Livingston County	Brighton Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(810) 299-3900	551	32	17.1	11.8%	494 (89.7%)	3 (0.5%)	22 (4.0%)	12 (2.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.3%)	79.8	265^th of 1492 public elementary schools	82.2%		72.1	384^th of 1488 public elementary schools	74.2%	119			61.0	48.6				61.9	57.0								$14,856	$572	$14,284
Wylie Elementary School	Public	3-4	3060 Kensington St	Dexter	48130	Washtenaw County	Dexter Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(734) 424-4140	486	29	16.5	8.8%	432 (88.9%)	7 (1.4%)	25 (5.1%)	18 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	82.4	236^th of 1492 public elementary schools	84.2%		88.6	145^th of 1488 public elementary schools	90.3%	91			50.9	63.6				57.6	61.4								$15,609	$163	$15,446

Frequently Asked Questions about Light of the World Academy

What district is Light of the World Academy in?

Light of the World Academy

What is the racial makeup of Light of the World Academy?

Students at Light of the World Academy are 95% White, 3% African American, 1% Two or more races.

Is Light of the World Academy a good school?

Light of the World Academy ranks 768^th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Light of the World Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 222 students attended Light of the World Academy.

Rate Light of the World Academy!

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Latest Michigan data All new data »

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

2024–25 attendance dataJan 6, 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.