Chapman Elementary School

Chapman Elementary School in Rockwood, MI, is a PK-5 school within the Gibraltar School District, serving 434 students in a community just south of Detroit. The school has earned a 3-star rating and ranks in the 65th percentile statewide, a notable improvement from a 2-star rating a decade ago.

Chapman stands out most dramatically in 5th-grade Science and Social Studies, where proficiency rates (49.1% and 40.4%) far exceed state averages and outpace most nearby schools. Its Social Studies scores are nearly 13 percentage points higher than the district average and over 9 points higher than Hunter Elementary, its closest same-district competitor. The school also excels at getting kids to class: its chronic absenteeism rate of 13.4% is less than half the state average and far below neighboring districts like Flat Rock Community Schools, where some schools exceed 30%. Chapman achieves these results while spending less per student ($16,133) than many peers, including Frank E Weiss Elementary ($18,407) and Erving Elementary ($17,930).

One area to watch is a consistent dip in 4th-grade performance. In the most recent year, 4th-grade ELA proficiency was 34.8% and math was 37.7%, notably lower than both 3rd-grade (52.2% ELA, 56.7% math) and 5th-grade scores. This pattern has appeared in multiple years of data, suggesting a specific challenge at that grade level. On the positive side, the school has shown remarkable improvement in attendance, cutting chronic absenteeism from 20.6% to 13.4% in a single year—a much larger drop than the district's overall improvement. For parents weighing options, Chapman offers strong science and social studies instruction, excellent attendance culture, and efficient spending, though it may be worth asking the school about how it supports students transitioning through 4th grade.