Hunt Elementary School

Hunt Elementary School is a K-5 public school in Jackson, MI, serving 366 students within the Jackson Public Schools district, where a very high percentage of families (95%) qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Academically, Hunt Elementary is facing significant challenges. The school consistently ranks in the bottom 10-13% of elementary schools statewide, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math well below both district and state averages. This places it far behind a nearby school in the same district, Sharp Park Academy, which ranks in the 69th percentile. For example, in a recent year, 4th-grade ELA proficiency at Sharp Park was 63.6% compared to just 23.2% at Hunt. What makes this gap particularly striking is that Hunt actually spends more per student ($19,316) and has a better student-teacher ratio (13.5) than Sharp Park, suggesting the issue isn't a lack of resources. Another major concern is chronic absenteeism, which affects 33% of Hunt students—higher than the state average of 27.9% and higher than the rate at Sharp Park (28.4%).

Despite these challenges, there are some bright spots and important nuances to consider. Hunt showed a remarkable spike in 5th-grade Science proficiency, reaching 28.3% in one year—well above the district average and a huge jump from the prior year. However, test scores across other grades are highly inconsistent from year to year, suggesting that a student's experience may depend heavily on their specific teacher. For parents considering this school, it's important to understand that while the overall picture is difficult, the high spending and small class sizes indicate a committed investment in students. The stark contrast with Sharp Park Academy, which serves a student population with lower economic need, offers a valuable reference point for what is possible within the same district, and may be worth discussing with school leadership to understand what strategies could be adapted for Hunt.