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Ralph J Bunche Academy

Public Grades 1-4

Summary

Ralph J Bunche Academy is an elementary school in Ecorse, Michigan, serving 318 students in grades 1-4. The school has a predominantly African American student population (84.28%) and faces significant challenges, including consistently low academic performance, high chronic absenteeism, and a student population with high economic disadvantage.

Ralph J Bunche Academy has consistently ranked among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Michigan, with only 7.7% of 3rd-grade students and 21.9% of 4th-grade students proficient in English Language Arts, compared to state averages of 39.6% and 43.3%, respectively. The school's chronic absenteeism rates have ranged from 22% to 70.1%, significantly higher than the state average. Despite increased per-student spending, from $12,785 in 2019-2020 to $22,414 in 2022-2023, the school's academic outcomes have not shown significant improvement over time.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Brenda Hague Early Learning Village, which serves a similar demographic, Ralph J Bunche Academy has a higher chronic absenteeism rate and lower per-student spending, suggesting that the school may need a more comprehensive intervention strategy to address its challenges. The school's performance is particularly low for African American students, who rank 292 out of 321 Michigan elementary schools, indicating a need to focus on addressing the specific needs of this student population.

316

Students ?

26.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,566

Per pupil spending ?

83.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

503 Hyacinthe St
Ecorse, MI 48229-1315

(313) 294-4710

District: Ecorse Public Schools

Students who attend Ralph J Bunche Academy usually attend:

Middle:	GrandPort Elementary Academy
High:	Ecorse Community High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

77.5%

Hispanic:

13.9%

White:

6.3%

See top rated Michigan public schools

Compare Ralph J Bunche Academy to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 5th percentile in 2007 → 7th in 2024

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (12% vs 41% meeting standards)

!High chronic absenteeism (71% vs 28% Michigan)

!Math scores 32 pts below the Michigan average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school12%

District avg12%

Michigan avg41%

Not ranked this year

Ralph J Bunche Academy did not have enough recent test-score data to be ranked. Check the trend below for past years.

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2024	8.3	1375 of 1486	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	6.3	1411 of 1470	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	0.8	1586 of 1589	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	3.7	1550 of 1577	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	10.9	1489 of 1565	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2023	17.0	292 of 321	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2024	7.2	1291 of 1342	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	5.7	1286 of 1321	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2024	11.7	1265 of 1381	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	8.7	1291 of 1350	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2023	6.5	1285 of 1334	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

African American (2023)9th percentile+5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)8th percentile~ school

Female (2024)4th percentile-4 vs school

Male (2023)4th percentile~ school

By subject vs Michigan (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts16%-26 vs state

Math7%-32 vs state

★

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Schools Near Ralph J Bunche Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				PSAT English Language Arts (2025)	PSAT 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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
Ralph J Bunche Academy	Public	1-4	503 Hyacinthe St	Ecorse	48229	Wayne County	Ecorse Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 294-4710	316	12	26.3	83.5%	20 (6.3%)	245 (77.5%)	44 (13.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.6%)								(n/a)				16.2					7.4								$19,566	$3,228	$16,338
Brenda Hague Early Learning Village	Public	PK-K	50 W Josephine St	Ecorse	48229	Wayne County	Ecorse Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(313) 294-4750	85	8	10.8	87.1%	8 (9.4%)	64 (75.3%)	9 (10.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.7%)								(n/a)																	$23,218	$1,553	$21,665
Raupp School	Public	PK, KG-5	1351 Ethel Ave	Lincoln Park	48146	Wayne County	Lincoln Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 389-0226	261	19	14.0	94.3%	67 (25.7%)	70 (26.8%)	105 (40.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	18 (6.9%)	14.7	1264^th of 1488 public elementary schools	15.1%		11.8	1313^th of 1486 public elementary schools	11.6%	49			25.0	25.0	20.0			19.6					9.8				$18,655	$2,073	$16,582
Mark Twain ElementaryMiddle School	Public	PK, KG-8	12800 Visger St	Detroit	48217	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 386-5530	251	17	14.7	91.2%	2 (0.8%)	208 (82.9%)	30 (12.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.4%)	13.8	1279^th of 1488 public elementary schools	14.0%		8.7	1370^th of 1486 public elementary schools	7.8%	91	32.4	11.8	13.8	16.7	24.0	18.8	11.8	13.8	16.7		18.8	11.8		17.6		17.6	$19,827	$2,188	$17,639
Ann Visger K5 Preparatory Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	11121 W Jefferson Ave	River Rouge	48218	Wayne County	River Rouge School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 297-9648	625	30	20.8	86.9%	40 (6.4%)	473 (75.7%)	69 (11.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.2%)	4.4	1484^th of 1488 public elementary schools	0.3%		6.2	1433^rd of 1486 public elementary schools	3.6%	51			6.6	4.9	10.5			9.8					6.3		2.3		$17,327	$2,249	$15,078
Lafayette School	Public	PK, KG-5	1360 Lafayette Blvd	Lincoln Park	48146	Wayne County	Lincoln Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 389-0224	441	27	16.5	97.5%	107 (24.3%)	70 (15.9%)	244 (55.3%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.9%)	18.2	1190^th of 1488 public elementary schools	20.0%		15.7	1238^th of 1486 public elementary schools	16.7%	48			25.0	28.8	35.4			18.3	20.0	7.2			16.9		14.5		$19,444	$2,349	$17,095
Keppen School	Public	PK, KG-5	661 Mill St	Lincoln Park	48146	Wayne County	Lincoln Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 389-0232	332	19	17.7	87.3%	93 (28.0%)	62 (18.7%)	149 (44.9%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (7.2%)	24.3	1090^th of 1488 public elementary schools	26.7%		31.6	996^th of 1486 public elementary schools	33.0%	94			34.4	21.3	34.3			27.4	12.2	20.6			29.4		13.2		$19,186	$1,944	$17,242
River Rouge Stem Academy at Dunn	Public	PK, KG-8	163 Burke St	River Rouge	48218	Wayne County	River Rouge School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 297-9663	370	21	17.6	78.9%	14 (3.8%)	320 (86.5%)	23 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.5%)	17.1	1221^st of 1488 public elementary schools	17.9%		9.4	1356^th of 1486 public elementary schools	8.7%	135	50.0	9.1	17.5		31.3	18.0	17.4	7.5			12.0	17.4	31.3	25.0	8.3	27.3	$17,093	$2,286	$14,807
Allendale Elementary School	Public	2-5	3201 Oakwood Blvd	Melvindale	48122	Wayne County	Melvindale-Northern Allen Park Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 389-4664	914	43	21.2	91.8%	644 (70.5%)	64 (7.0%)	174 (19.0%)	8 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	22 (2.4%)	20.8	1142^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	23.3%		16.3	1231^st of 1486 public elementary schools	17.2%	89			13.7	20.8	37.4			20.3	24.0	24.3			25.7		15.5		$15,004	$2,087	$12,917
James Foote School	Public	PK, KG-5	3250 Abbott Ave	Lincoln Park	48146	Wayne County	Lincoln Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 389-0216	308	17	17.7	88.0%	106 (34.4%)	43 (14.0%)	132 (42.9%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	21 (6.8%)	31.6	984^th of 1488 public elementary schools	33.9%		30.1	1017^th of 1486 public elementary schools	31.6%	33			25.5	48.1	48.1			21.3	30.8	26.8			18.2		7.1		$18,883	$2,027	$16,856

Frequently Asked Questions about Ralph J Bunche Academy

What is the racial makeup of Ralph J Bunche Academy?

Students at Ralph J Bunche Academy are 78% African American, 14% Hispanic, 6% White, 2% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Ralph J Bunche Academy attend?

Students who attend Ralph J Bunche Academy usually go on to attend:

Middle : GrandPort Elementary Academy
High : Ecorse Community High School

What district is Ralph J Bunche Academy in?

Ecorse Public Schools

How many students attend Ralph J Bunche Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 316 students attended Ralph J Bunche 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.