Westfield Charter Academy

Westfield Charter Academy is a K-6 charter school in Redford, MI, serving 730 students, where over 82% of families qualify for free or reduced lunch, reflecting a high level of economic need in the community.

Westfield’s overall academic performance is significantly below state averages, placing it in the bottom 20th percentile of Michigan schools for the past five years. Math proficiency is a particular concern—only 8% of 4th graders were proficient in the most recent school year, a sharp drop from 21.4% the year before and more than 31 points below the state average. Test scores also swing widely from year to year and grade to grade, suggesting that students may not be building consistently on their skills as they advance. Chronic absenteeism is another major issue: nearly half of students (49.2%) miss enough school to be considered chronically absent. While that rate is lower than some nearby charters like Washington-Parks Academy (65.5%), it is more than double the rate at nearby Hayes Elementary School (19.4%) and Cleveland Elementary School (23.6%).

There is one notable bright spot: Westfield ranks in the 62nd percentile statewide for its African American students, earning a 3-star rating in 2024-2025, even though its overall rating is just 1 star. This suggests some strategies may be working for that group, but they aren’t lifting results for the school as a whole. The school also spends less per student ($14,113) than nearly all comparable schools in the area—Thomas Jefferson Elementary School spends $23,075 and Vandenberg Elementary School spends $19,777—despite serving a student body with higher economic needs. For parents, this combination of high absenteeism, inconsistent academics, and lower funding may be important factors to weigh when considering Westfield Charter Academy.