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Washington Writers Academy

Public, Magnet Grades PK, KG-5

1392^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 7% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Washington Writers Academy is a small elementary school in Kalamazoo, MI, serving 260 students in grades PK-5 as part of the Kalamazoo Public Schools district.

Washington Writers Academy faces significant academic challenges, ranking in the 7th percentile statewide—among the lowest in Michigan. This is a stark contrast to nearby schools like ParkwoodUpjohn Elementary School (75th percentile) and Winchell Elementary School (77th percentile), both located within a few miles. The school serves a student body where over 94% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a much higher concentration of poverty than those higher-performing neighbors. Perhaps the most pressing issue is chronic absenteeism: 56.7% of students are chronically absent, more than double the state average and significantly higher than the district average of 39.1%. This rate is also higher than other local schools with similar poverty levels, such as Edison Academy (44.6%) and Woodward Elementary (46.9%). Even with substantial per-student spending of $17,836, academic outcomes remain low, suggesting that attendance is a critical barrier to learning.

There are a few points of interest for parents. While overall performance is low, the school's ranking for African American students (12th percentile) is slightly better than its overall rank, suggesting a relatively more positive impact for that subgroup. Test scores also vary significantly by grade and year—for example, 5th-grade ELA proficiency was 25% compared to just 7.69% in 4th grade—which may point to inconsistent instructional strategies. A useful comparison is Paramount Charter Academy, a nearby school serving a similarly high-poverty population (95% FRL) that ranks in the 25th percentile and outperforms Washington Writers Academy in nearly every subject. This suggests that high poverty does not have to dictate the lowest outcomes, and that focused strategies—especially around attendance—could make a meaningful difference.

260

Students ?

14.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,836

Per pupil spending ?

94.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1919 Portage St
Kalamazoo, MI 49001-3833

(269) 337-0770

District: Kalamazoo Public Schools

Students who attend Washington Writers Academy usually attend:

Middle:	Milwood Magnet School
High:	Loy Norrix High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

61.2%

Two or more races:

15.8%

White:

14.2%

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Compare Washington Writers Academy to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 7th percentile in 2012 → 7th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (12% vs 38% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (7th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (57% vs 28% Michigan)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school12%

District avg32%

Michigan avg38%

1,392^nd of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 7%▲ up 3 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

14^th of 15Elementary Schools in the Kalamazoo Public Schools

407^th of 625Kalamazoo Public Schools among Michigan districts

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
2026	9.0	1392 of 1492	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	9.5	1366 of 1488	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	9.1	1363 of 1486	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	9.3	1376 of 1448	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	3.5	1455 of 1466	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	6.5	1485 of 1548	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	11.4	1422 of 1580	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	7.6	1455 of 1533	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	6.7	1510 of 1563	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	12.2	1450 of 1566	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	11.0	1466 of 1552	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	9.8	1488 of 1552	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	3.6	1561 of 1589	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	2.8	1563 of 1577	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	5.9	1529 of 1565	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	17.7	1418 of 1545	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	19.4	340 of 388	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	27.7	255 of 348	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.3	404 of 475	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	11.1	1247 of 1343	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	10.0	1336 of 1443	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	10.2	1293 of 1352	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	11.7	1246 of 1346	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	11.2	1271 of 1381	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	13.2	1284 of 1397	8.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	10.7	1245 of 1366	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	11.7	1224 of 1347	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	9.4	1348 of 1446	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

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 (2026)12th percentile+6 vs school

Male (2025)9th percentile~ school

Female (2026)7th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)4th percentile~ school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts14%-27 vs state

Science11%-29 vs state

Math11%-27 vs state

Social Studies7%-21 vs state

★

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Schools Near Washington Writers Academy

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				PSAT English Language Arts (2026)	PSAT Mathematics (2026)	M-Step English Language Arts (2026)					M-Step Math (2026)					M-Step Science (2026)		M-Step Social Studies (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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
Washington Writers Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1919 Portage St	Kalamazoo	49001	Kalamazoo County	Kalamazoo Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(269) 337-0770	260	18	14.7	94.2%	37 (14.2%)	159 (61.2%)	18 (6.9%)	1 (0.4%)	4 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (15.8%)	9	1392^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	6.7%		9.5	1366^th of 1488 public elementary schools	8.2%	26			10.2	7.7	25.0			8.2	1359.3	13.6			11.4		6.8		$17,836	$2,741	$15,095
Edison Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	831 Lake St	Kalamazoo	49001	Kalamazoo County	Kalamazoo Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(269) 337-0550	376	28	13.4	96.3%	59 (15.7%)	233 (62.0%)	21 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.4%)	2 (0.5%)	52 (13.8%)	16.4	1249^th of 1492 public elementary schools	16.3%		16.5	1237^th of 1488 public elementary schools	16.9%	12			32.0	17.0	14.8			35.3	20.8	4.8			11.3		1465.8		$18,695	$2,537	$16,158
ParkwoodUpjohn Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2321 S Park St	Kalamazoo	49001	Kalamazoo County	Kalamazoo Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 337-0720	427	27	15.7	50.1%	228 (53.4%)	109 (25.5%)	22 (5.2%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	64 (15.0%)	72.6	374^th of 1492 public elementary schools	74.9%		58	595^th of 1488 public elementary schools	60.0%	221			51.9	47.7	64.8			53.7	37.2	39.4			57.7		52.1		$18,225	$2,164	$16,061
Milwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3400 Lovers Ln	Kalamazoo	49001	Kalamazoo County	Kalamazoo Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 337-0660	362	22	16.4	70.4%	135 (37.3%)	123 (34.0%)	38 (10.5%)	2 (0.6%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (16.9%)	26.7	1058^th of 1492 public elementary schools	29.1%		16.8	1227^th of 1488 public elementary schools	17.5%	169			42.1	28.0	29.4			43.9	22.7	11.8			21.2		15.3		$20,879	$3,586	$17,293
Greenwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	3501 Moreland St	Kalamazoo	49001	Kalamazoo County	Kalamazoo Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 337-0560	93	9	9.8	61.3%	36 (38.7%)	32 (34.4%)	6 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (18.3%)								(n/a)			44.4					55.6									$20,950	$2,292	$18,657
El Sol Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	604 W Vine St	Kalamazoo	49008	Kalamazoo County	Kalamazoo Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(269) 337-0230	368	22	17.0	57.1%	161 (43.8%)	22 (6.0%)	129 (35.1%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (12.0%)	40.5	853^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	42.8%		38.4	888^th of 1488 public elementary schools	40.3%	35			30.5	42.6	40.4			16.9	33.3	17.0			46.8		34.0		$18,255	$2,318	$15,937
Paramount Charter Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	3624 S Westnedge Ave	Kalamazoo	49008	Kalamazoo County	Paramount Charter Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(269) 553-6400	373	25	15.1	95.2%	65 (17.4%)	182 (48.8%)	35 (9.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	91 (24.4%)	22.8	1124^th of 1492 public elementary schools	24.7%		13.4	1293^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	13.1%	169	47.1	334.1	29.3	22.0	34.6	21.2	38.5	26.8	19.5	15.4	15.2	23.1	30.8	1776.4	15.4	35.3	$19,207	$1,331	$17,876
Lincoln International Studies School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	912 N Burdick St	Kalamazoo	49007	Kalamazoo County	Kalamazoo Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(269) 337-0640	306	25	12.0	81.0%	71 (23.2%)	162 (52.9%)	14 (4.6%)	14 (4.6%)	12 (3.9%)	1 (0.3%)	32 (10.5%)	7.2	1431^st of 1492 public elementary schools	4.1%		7.1	1422^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	4.4%	9			7.0	14.0	8.8			7.0	19.2	10.3			6.9		1465.3		$21,545	$2,678	$18,867
Woodward Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	606 Stuart Ave	Kalamazoo	49007	Kalamazoo County	Kalamazoo Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(269) 337-0810	242	19	12.4	92.6%	30 (12.4%)	151 (62.4%)	11 (4.5%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (19.4%)	14.6	1285^th of 1492 public elementary schools	13.9%		9.1	1372^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	7.8%	87			21.2	21.1	20.5			25.0	21.1	7.7			17.9		7.7		$21,518	$2,998	$18,520
Woods Lake ElementaryA Magnet Center For The Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	3215 Oakland Dr	Kalamazoo	49008	Kalamazoo County	Kalamazoo Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(269) 337-0790	501	26	19.3	78.8%	120 (24.0%)	248 (49.5%)	40 (8.0%)	9 (1.8%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	77 (15.4%)	23.1	1119^th of 1492 public elementary schools	25.0%		18.6	1187^th of 1488 public elementary schools	20.2%	68			15.9	17.9	31.6			20.7	8.5	27.6			33.7		20.4		$16,930	$2,410	$14,520

Frequently Asked Questions about Washington Writers Academy

What schools do graduates of Washington Writers Academy attend?

Students who attend Washington Writers Academy usually go on to attend:

Middle : Milwood Magnet School
High : Loy Norrix High School

How many students attend Washington Writers Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 260 students attended Washington Writers Academy.

What district is Washington Writers Academy in?

Kalamazoo Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Washington Writers Academy?

Students at Washington Writers Academy are 61% African American, 16% Two or more races, 14% White, 7% Hispanic, 2% American Indian.

Is Washington Writers Academy a good school?

Washington Writers Academy ranks in the bottom 6.7% of Michigan elementary schools.

Rate Washington Writers Academy!

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Latest Michigan data All new data »

2025–26 M-Step, PSAT & SAT test scoresNewSep 4, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataJan 6, 2026

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.