Spain ElementaryMiddle School

Spain Elementary-Middle School is a public PK-8 school in Detroit's Midtown area serving 403 students within the Detroit Public Schools Community District.

Spain Elementary-Middle School is showing a positive upward trend, climbing from the 10th to the 20th percentile statewide over the past two years. While its overall test scores remain low compared to state averages, the school consistently outperforms its district average in English Language Arts (ELA) across every grade level tested. This is especially true in the upper grades—by 8th grade, 46.2% of students met the college-readiness benchmark on the PSAT, far exceeding the district average of 32.1%. The school also stands out for its relatively lower chronic absenteeism rate of 46%, which is significantly better than the district average of 60.9% and much lower than nearby Bunche Preparatory Academy (70.6%) or George Crockett Academy (67.5%). With a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.3:1 and over $22,000 spent per pupil, the school has solid resources to build on its recent progress.

However, there are clear areas of concern. Math proficiency is a critical weakness—in 7th grade, only 7.69% of students were proficient in math compared to 29.3% in ELA. There is also a significant gender gap, with the school ranking in the 24th percentile for serving its female students but only the 10th percentile for male students. When compared to nearby options, the competitive landscape is stark: Edmonson Montessori (71st percentile) and Detroit Edison Public School Academy (70th percentile) post dramatically higher scores. Yet Spain outperforms Bunche Preparatory Academy (1st percentile), its closest demographic neighbor—for example, 27.7% of Spain's 4th graders were proficient in ELA versus just 8.33% at Bunche. For parents, Spain represents a school making meaningful gains in a challenging environment, with particular strengths in reading and attendance, but with clear room for growth in math and for male students.