Lincoln Park Middle School

Lincoln Park Middle School serves 1,089 students in grades 6 through 8 and is part of the Lincoln Park School District of the City of, a community where over 90% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

One of the most striking findings is that Lincoln Park Middle School spends significantly more per student than many nearby schools—$20,402 annually—yet its academic results are among the lowest in the area. For comparison, Allen Park Middle School, located less than a mile away, spends about $13,720 per student and consistently achieves proficiency rates that are double or even triple those at Lincoln Park. The gap is especially wide on the 8th-grade PSAT, where only 8.5% of Lincoln Park students scored proficient in math, compared to the state average of 33.2%. Chronic absenteeism is also a major concern, with 39.3% of students missing significant school time—well above the state average of 27.9% and much higher than Allen Park's 22.2% rate.

Despite these challenges, there are some encouraging signs. The school's state ranking has improved from the 12th percentile in 2021-2022 to the 21st percentile for 2025-2026, and chronic absenteeism has dropped from a peak of 49.4%. Most notably, 8th-grade social studies proficiency jumped from 11% to 28.1% over two years—a remarkable 17-point gain that suggests targeted instructional changes may be working. However, a critical area of concern remains for special education students, where the school ranks in the 0th percentile statewide, indicating urgent need for intervention. While the school faces systemic challenges tied to poverty, the gradual upward trend and the social studies improvement offer hope that recent efforts are beginning to make a difference.