Chrysler Elementary School

Chrysler Elementary School is a small, public PK-5 school in Detroit, MI, serving 137 students within the Detroit Public Schools Community District.

If you’re looking at elementary schools in Detroit, Chrysler Elementary stands out as a bright spot. Despite serving a student body where over 60% qualify for free or reduced lunch, the school has consistently earned 3 to 4 stars and currently ranks in the 68th percentile statewide. That’s a dramatic difference from many nearby schools. For example, Bunche Preparatory Academy and Garvey Academy rank in the 1st and 9th percentiles, respectively. In fact, Chrysler’s test scores are several times higher than the district average—5th-grade reading proficiency is 60.9% compared to the district’s 17.1%. The school even holds its own against the well-regarded Detroit Edison Public School Academy, posting comparable or better math scores in several grades. One of the most impressive findings is that Chrysler ranks in the 96th percentile statewide for its African American students, earning a 5-star rating for this group—a strong sign of effective, equitable teaching.

Attendance is another area where Chrysler excels. Its chronic absenteeism rate is 22.6%, far below the 70%+ rates seen at nearby schools like Moses Field Center and Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences, and even below the state average. The school achieves these results while spending about $24,690 per student—much less than the $50,000+ spent at Moses Field Center. One area to watch is a gender gap: female students rank in the 80th percentile statewide, while male students rank in the 49th. Also, because class sizes are small, test scores can swing from year to year, so it’s wise to look at multi-year trends. Overall, Chrysler is a cost-effective, high-performing option that proves success is possible within a struggling district.