Cavanaugh School

Cavanaugh School is a public elementary school in Lansing, MI, serving 245 students in grades PK through 4 within the Lansing Public School District, a district currently rated 1-star overall.

Cavanaugh is a remarkable success story. Over the past decade, the school has transformed from a 1-star institution ranking in the bottom 12% of Michigan schools to a 4-star school now ranked in the 73rd percentile statewide (398th out of 1,492 schools). This dramatic improvement is especially notable given that over 80% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school's academic proficiency rates are exceptional—often double or triple those of nearby schools. For example, 3rd-grade ELA proficiency stands at 56.1%, compared to just 14.9% at Gardner International School, located only 0.6 miles away and serving a similar student population. Cavanaugh's 3rd-grade math proficiency (56.1%) also far exceeds the state average of 42.9% and nearly triples Gardner's rate of 20.3%. Even in 4th-grade math, where Cavanaugh's 36% proficiency sits slightly below the state average, it still outperforms nearby Lyons School (8.5%) and Gardner (21.6%).

What makes Cavanaugh particularly impressive is its effectiveness with economically disadvantaged students—the school ranks in the 87th percentile statewide for this subgroup, meaning its low-income students achieve far better than similar students elsewhere. The school also invests heavily in its students, spending $23,372 per pupil with a favorable 14.1 student-teacher ratio. One ongoing challenge is chronic absenteeism, which, while improved from 92.6% in 2021-2022 to 42.2% in 2024-2025, remains above the state average of 27.9%. Still, for parents seeking a school where children from all backgrounds consistently beat the odds, Cavanaugh stands out as a beacon of academic excellence in the Lansing area.