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Owen Elementary School

Public Grades K-6

1430^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 4% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Owen Elementary School in Pontiac, MI, serves 383 students in Kindergarten through 6th grade and is part of the Pontiac City School District, a district facing significant challenges in a community where nearly 80% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

While Owen's overall test scores are below state averages, a closer look reveals some important bright spots. The school consistently outperforms its own district average in English Language Arts—for example, in the most recent school year, 4th and 5th-grade reading proficiency (19% and 13.2%) topped the district's rates (15.6% and 12.2%). Even more striking, Owen earns high marks for specific groups of students: in a recent year, the school ranked in the 58th percentile statewide for English Language Learners and the 46th percentile for Hispanic students—far above its overall ranking. This suggests that targeted support for these students is working well. However, math remains a serious concern, with 3rd and 4th-grade proficiency rates (8.5% and 5.1%) falling well below the district average of 12.4%.

The biggest challenge facing Owen is attendance. A staggering 63.3% of students are chronically absent—more than double the state average of 27.9%—which makes it difficult for even the best teaching to take hold. This issue is particularly stark when compared to nearby Carpenter Elementary School in the Lake Orion Community Schools district, just over 3 miles away, where proficiency rates reach 50-77% and chronic absenteeism is only 12.8%. Interestingly, Owen actually spends more per student ($19,489) than Carpenter ($14,123), suggesting that funding alone isn't the answer. For parents, the key takeaway is that Owen has proven strengths—especially in reading and for English Language Learners—but the school's progress is severely limited by an attendance crisis that families and the district must tackle together.

383

Students ?

22.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,489

Per pupil spending ?

79.4%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Michigan receive free school meals.

1700 Baldwin Ave
Pontiac, MI 48340-1116

(248) 451-7870

District: Pontiac City School District

Students who attend Owen Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Pontiac Middle School
High:	Pontiac High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

47.3%

Hispanic:

41.0%

White:

4.4%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 6th percentile in 2015 → 4th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (11% vs 38% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (4th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (63% vs 28% Michigan)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school11%

District avg10%

Michigan avg38%

1,430^th of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 4%▼ down 4 pts since 2016

From bottom 8% (2016) to bottom 4% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 5Elementary Schools in the Pontiac City School District

583^rd of 625Pontiac City School District 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	7.3	1430 of 1492	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	10.2	1356 of 1488	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.3	1431 of 1486	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	12.3	1274 of 1470	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	6.4	1283 of 1344	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	7.1	1328 of 1408	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	9.4	1374 of 1448	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	5.8	1409 of 1466	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	8.9	1428 of 1548	7.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	8.5	1489 of 1580	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	4.5	1512 of 1533	1.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	6.0	1520 of 1563	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	12.0	1451 of 1566	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	6.8	1504 of 1552	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	11.5	1474 of 1552	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	6.3	1539 of 1589	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	27.3	1350 of 1577	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	25.6	1363 of 1565	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	14.8	1439 of 1545	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	30.6	246 of 369	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	27.9	361 of 475	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2023	54.8	76 of 180	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	19.5	252 of 270	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	11.9	1223 of 1338	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	9.5	1224 of 1321	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	6.9	1402 of 1443	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2023	41.7	101 of 188	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	19.4	200 of 222	9.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	14.8	1223 of 1352	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	13.9	1219 of 1346	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	9.0	1314 of 1381	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	16.0	1162 of 1350	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	8.8	1047 of 1099	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	9.1	1089 of 1134	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	14.2	1270 of 1397	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	6.0	1327 of 1366	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.9	1265 of 1347	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	15.9	1127 of 1334	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	8.9	1082 of 1139	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	14.2	1257 of 1446	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

English Language Learner (2023)58th percentile+44 vs school

Hispanic (2023)46th percentile+33 vs school

African American (2025)33rd percentile+24 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)10th percentile+5 vs school

Female (2025)9th percentile~ school

Male (2025)3rd percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts17%-24 vs state

Math7%-32 vs state

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What people are saying

by a parent
Sunday, August 7, 2011

The absolute worst kindergarten/first grade experience ever. I couldn't wait to get my son out of this school. Close Quote

Schools Near Owen 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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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
Owen Elementary School	Public	K-6	1700 Baldwin Ave	Pontiac	48340	Oakland County	Pontiac City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 451-7870	383	17	22.0	79.4%	17 (4.4%)	181 (47.3%)	157 (41.0%)	9 (2.3%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	15 (3.9%)	7.3	1430^th of 1492 public elementary schools	4.2%		10.2	1356^th of 1488 public elementary schools	8.9%	74			1267.6	19.0	13.2			8.5	5.1	1456.5			1470.3		1469.0		$19,489	$4,601	$14,888
Walton Charter Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	744 E Walton Blvd	Pontiac	48340	Oakland County	Walton Charter Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(248) 371-9300	763	44	17.5	91.7%	33 (4.3%)	194 (25.4%)	456 (59.8%)	20 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	59 (7.7%)	25.4	1079^th of 1492 public elementary schools	27.7%		21.5	1131^st of 1488 public elementary schools	24.0%	52	47.6	22.6	27.9	31.0	30.6	22.5	40.5	34.5	29.8	20.0	22.5	37.3	15.5	19.0	8.2	38.8	$13,960	$1,429	$12,531
Alcott School	Public	K-5	460 W Kennett Rd	Pontiac	48340	Oakland County	Pontiac City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 451-7910	334	14	23.1	64.4%	19 (5.7%)	108 (32.3%)	185 (55.4%)	9 (2.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.6%)	7.5	1422^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	4.7%		7.7	1408^th of 1488 public elementary schools	5.4%	14			1267.1	7.7	8.0			13.9	12.8	10.0			14.0		6.0		$29,641	$6,921	$22,720
Whitman Elementary School	Public	K-5	125 W Montcalm St	Pontiac	48342	Oakland County	Pontiac City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 451-7950	611	51	11.8	74.1%	18 (2.9%)	253 (41.4%)	298 (48.8%)	12 (2.0%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.4%)	6.4	1450^th of 1492 public elementary schools	2.8%		7.8	1404^th of 1488 public elementary schools	5.6%	46			1262.2	11.6	13.3			1254.9	1355.5	1457.8			11.3		1466.3		$25,349	$4,612	$20,737
Pontiac Academy for Excellence Elementary	Public, Charter	K-5	196 Cesar E Chavez	Pontiac	48342	Oakland County	Pontiac Academy for Excellence	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(248) 745-9420	0			—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	5.1	1480^th of 1492 public elementary schools	0.8%					(n/a)			1266.9	6.4	1475.4			9.8	6.4	1466.5			11.8		1465.5
Herrington School	Public	K-6	541 Bay St	Pontiac	48342	Oakland County	Pontiac City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 451-7790	319	16	20.4	85.9%	10 (3.1%)	238 (74.6%)	55 (17.2%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.4%)	4.3	1491^st of 1492 public elementary schools	0.1%		5.3	1463^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	1.7%	28			1269.9	6.9	1459.4			6.3	6.7	1457.5			1462.9		1459.3		$22,818	$4,548	$18,271
Carpenter Elementary School	Public	K-5	2290 Flintridge St	Lake Orion	48359	Oakland County	Lake Orion Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 391-3500	467	25	18.7	30.6%	309 (66.2%)	22 (4.7%)	72 (15.4%)	35 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.2%)	84.4	214^th of 1492 public elementary schools	85.7%		81.7	251^st of 1488 public elementary schools	83.1%	37			50.6	50.8	76.9			65.8	44.4	69.2			76.9		43.6		$14,123	$726	$13,397
Grayson Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	3800 W Walton Blvd	Waterford	48329	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(248) 674-0200	437	24	17.9	53.8%	263 (60.2%)	53 (12.1%)	80 (18.3%)	11 (2.5%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.2%)	44.4	787^th of 1492 public elementary schools	47.3%		48.6	743^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	50.1%	44			27.0	55.2	45.7			31.1	43.3	27.1			37.1		18.6		$15,554	$1,465	$14,089
Donelson Hills Elementary School	Public	K-5	2690 Wewoka Rd	Waterford	48328	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 682-9530	392	22	17.8	79.8%	128 (32.7%)	86 (21.9%)	135 (34.4%)	9 (2.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (8.4%)	33.6	946^th of 1492 public elementary schools	36.6%		28.9	1027^th of 1488 public elementary schools	31.0%	81			32.8	41.2	38.0			33.3	35.3	12.5			24.0		14.0		$16,769	$1,833	$14,936
Rogers School	Public	K-5	2600 Dexter Rd	Auburn Hills	48326	Oakland County	Pontiac City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 451-7850	280	14	20.5	70.0%	25 (8.9%)	124 (44.3%)	93 (33.2%)	13 (4.6%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	23 (8.2%)	17.7	1223^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	18.0%		19.1	1179^th of 1488 public elementary schools	20.8%	44			9.8	21.1	18.8			36.6	23.7	18.8			12.9		12.5		$20,321	$4,783	$15,538

Frequently Asked Questions about Owen Elementary School

Is Owen Elementary School a good school?

Owen Elementary School ranks in the bottom 4.2% of Michigan elementary schools.

What district is Owen Elementary School in?

Pontiac City School District

How many students attend Owen Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 383 students attended Owen Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Owen Elementary School?

Students at Owen Elementary School are 47% African American, 41% Hispanic, 4% White, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Owen Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Pontiac Middle School
High : Pontiac High 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.