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Pepper Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1434^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 4% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Pepper Elementary School in Oak Park, MI, serves 416 students from Pre-K through 5th grade and is part of the Oak Park School District of the City of, a district that faces significant challenges compared to others in the state.

Pepper Elementary is currently facing a serious attendance crisis that is deeply impacting student learning. In the most recent school year, nearly 66% of students were chronically absent, meaning they missed a substantial number of school days. This rate is more than double the state average and far exceeds rates at nearby schools like Norup International School (18.2%) and Burton Elementary School (7.1%) in the neighboring Berkley School District. Academic proficiency rates are also very low, with only about 10% of 3rd graders meeting state standards in English Language Arts and just over 5% of 4th and 5th graders proficient in math. These scores are dramatically below state averages and well behind the high-performing schools located just a mile or two away in the Berkley district, where proficiency rates often exceed 50%.

Despite spending a substantial $19,519 per student—more than higher-performing neighboring schools—the school's outcomes remain among the lowest in the state. There is one relative bright spot: the school's ranking for its African American students (14th percentile) is notably better than its overall ranking (4th percentile), suggesting some effective supports may exist for this group. Additionally, 5th graders tend to perform better than younger students, with ELA proficiency at 18.9% compared to roughly 10% in 3rd and 4th grades. Interestingly, Oak Park Service Learning Academy OPSLA, a charter school with an even higher poverty rate, has a much lower chronic absenteeism rate (27.1%), showing that high poverty doesn't have to lead to high absenteeism. For parents considering this school, the central issue to understand is that the attendance crisis appears to be the most critical barrier preventing students from succeeding academically.

416

Students ?

16.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,519

Per pupil spending ?

78.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

24301 Church St
Oak Park, MI 48237-1980

(248) 336-7680

District: Oak Park School District of the City of

Students who attend Pepper Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Oak Park Preparatory Academy
High:	Oak Park High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

93.3%

Two or more races:

2.4%

White:

1.4%

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At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 13th percentile in 2015 → 4th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (10% vs 38% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (4th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (66% vs 28% Michigan)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school10%

District avg11%

Michigan avg38%

1,434^th of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 4%▼ down 6 pts since 2016

From bottom 10% (2016) to bottom 4% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 3Elementary Schools in the Oak Park School District of the City of

598^th of 625Oak Park School District of the City of 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	7.1	1434 of 1492	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	8.1	1395 of 1488	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.3	1430 of 1486	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	10.2	1313 of 1470	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	7.7	1253 of 1344	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	10.4	1278 of 1408	9.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	16.8	1259 of 1448	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	9.6	1328 of 1466	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	10.3	1397 of 1548	9.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	14.4	1377 of 1580	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	12.2	1385 of 1533	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	18.2	1334 of 1563	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	20.5	1351 of 1566	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	19.5	1387 of 1552	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	22.6	1381 of 1552	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	17.0	1437 of 1589	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	13.3	1471 of 1577	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	23.7	1378 of 1565	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	34.2	1260 of 1545	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	20.4	333 of 388	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	23.2	296 of 369	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	17.7	312 of 348	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.5	230 of 321	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	29.3	109 of 158	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	29.2	144 of 212	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	50.5	190 of 475	60.0%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	5.8	1321 of 1343	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	11.5	1236 of 1338	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.4	1305 of 1342	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	8.8	1234 of 1321	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	17.2	1006 of 1171	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.2	1185 of 1443	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	10.7	1284 of 1352	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	9.7	1276 of 1346	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.4	1330 of 1381	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	15.8	1167 of 1350	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	12.6	1004 of 1099	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	15.4	1019 of 1134	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	24.0	1148 of 1397	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	11.2	1259 of 1372	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	6.4	1322 of 1366	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	7.0	1287 of 1347	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	11.1	1209 of 1334	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	7.1	1094 of 1139	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	5.5	1170 of 1196	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	14.0	1261 of 1446	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆

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)14th percentile+10 vs school

Male (2026)8th percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)5th percentile~ school

Female (2026)2nd percentile~ school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts13%-28 vs state

Science11%-29 vs state

Math8%-30 vs state

Social Studies8%-20 vs state

1.0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, April 28, 2016

The principal of this school is a serious problem. The teachers lack real support because they are constantly trying to get the kids behavior under control. The kids RUN THE SCHOOL .... the principal does not hold them accountable. The kids enjoy going to the office like it’s a party and they don't care about being kicked out of class. I saw with my own eyes the principal is more like a friend than a firm leader. Close Quote

Schools Near Pepper Elementary School

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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
Pepper Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	24301 Church St	Oak Park	48237	Oakland County	Oak Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 336-7680	416	26	16.1	78.6%	6 (1.4%)	388 (93.3%)	6 (1.4%)	3 (0.7%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.4%)	7.1	1434^th of 1492 public elementary schools	3.9%		8.1	1395^th of 1488 public elementary schools	6.3%	39			10.2	10.7	18.9			13.8	5.3	5.7			11.3		7.6		$19,519	$1,808	$17,711
Norup International School	Public	K-8	14450 Manhattan St	Oak Park	48237	Oakland County	Berkley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 837-8300	672	41	16.4	20.7%	377 (56.1%)	209 (31.1%)	22 (3.3%)	21 (3.1%)	5 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.7%)	81.2	249^th of 1492 public elementary schools	83.3%		81.7	250^th of 1488 public elementary schools	83.2%	1	84.1	54.0	43.8	52.4	53.2	70.4	63.3	54.2	43.5	57.4	67.0	53.3	51.1	64.9	40.4	74.8	$16,002	$406	$15,596
Key Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	23400 Jerome St	Oak Park	48237	Oakland County	Oak Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 336-7610	516	27	19.2	83.3%	29 (5.6%)	470 (91.1%)	8 (1.6%)	2 (0.4%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	10	1368^th of 1492 public elementary schools	8.3%		8.3	1387^th of 1488 public elementary schools	6.8%	19			24.0	14.3	18.6			18.8	7.1	3.5			8.1		1464.9		$17,268	$1,609	$15,659
Oak Park Service Learning Academy OPSLA	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	21700 Marlow St	Oak Park	48237	Oakland County	Detroit Service Learning Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 539-4115	212	14	15.0	99.5%	0 (0.0%)	212 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	12.5	322.1	1270.1	22.7	1466.1	1569.1	11.4	1265.3	1362.1	1450.9	1560.6	1660.8	1462.1	16.7	1465.4	12.5	$11,056	$741	$10,316
Thompson K8 International Academy	Public	K-8	16300 Lincoln Dr	Southfield	48076	Oakland County	Southfield Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 746-7404	544	35	15.7	64.5%	21 (3.9%)	444 (81.6%)	56 (10.3%)	15 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.3%)	27.1	1052^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	29.5%		14.9	1259^th of 1488 public elementary schools	15.4%	207	43.5	13.0	26.9	27.6	46.6	16.7	28.9	30.2	25.9	19.0	1557.0	1661.6	25.9	23.4	15.5	29.8	$23,289	$1,170	$22,120
Burton Elementary School	Public	K-5	26315 Scotia Rd	Huntington Woods	48070	Oakland County	Berkley School District	No	No	No	No	(248) 837-8600	461	28	16.3	3.3%	419 (90.9%)	20 (4.3%)	6 (1.3%)	8 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.7%)	88.8	153^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	89.7%		91.7	96^th of 1488 public elementary schools	93.5%	57			63.2	45.3	77.1			72.1	56.0	64.3			80.0		64.3		$15,955	$121	$15,834
Einstein Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	14001 Northend Ave	Oak Park	48237	Oakland County	Oak Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 336-7640	387	24	16.3	80.6%	10 (2.6%)	361 (93.3%)	9 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	7	1439^th of 1492 public elementary schools	3.6%		6.8	1430^th of 1488 public elementary schools	3.9%	9			12.9	8.1	19.0			11.4	1365.5	4.8			9.5		4.8		$20,001	$1,554	$18,447
Lessenger Early Childhood Center	Public	PK-K	12901 Albany St	Oak Park	48237	Oakland County	Oak Park School District of the City of	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(248) 336-7690	54	10	5.5	79.6%	0 (0.0%)	53 (98.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																	$25,310	$2,436	$22,873
Dr Joseph F Pollack Academic Center of Excellence	Public, Magnet, Charter	K-8	23777 Southfield Rd	Southfield	48075	Oakland County	Dr. Joseph F. Pollack Academic Center of Excellence	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	(248) 569-1060	520	32	16.2	82.3%	1 (0.2%)	518 (99.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10.3	1363^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	8.6%		15.4	1256^th of 1488 public elementary schools	15.6%	107	54.8	13.7	19.0	16.4	17.8	16.0	31.3	15.9	1362.9	1458.7	6.0	6.3	6.7	24.7	1467.9	35.6	$13,021	$1,023	$11,998
Ferndale Lower Elementary Campus	Public	K-3	23501 Rosewood St	Oak Park	48237	Oakland County	Ferndale Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(248) 548-1950	517	31	16.6	48.2%	261 (50.5%)	180 (34.8%)	34 (6.6%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (7.0%)								(n/a)																	$16,500	$925	$15,576

Frequently Asked Questions about Pepper Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Pepper Elementary School?

Students at Pepper Elementary School are 93% African American, 2% Two or more races, 1% White, 1% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Pepper Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Pepper Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Oak Park Preparatory Academy
High : Oak Park High School

What district is Pepper Elementary School in?

Oak Park School District of the City of

How many students attend Pepper Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 416 students attended Pepper Elementary School.

Is Pepper Elementary School a good school?

Pepper Elementary School ranks in the bottom 3.9% of Michigan elementary schools.

Rate Pepper Elementary School!

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Latest Michigan data All new data »

2025–26 M-Step, PSAT & SAT test scoresSep 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.