Thompson K8 International Academy

Thompson K8 International Academy is a K-8 public school in Southfield, MI, serving 544 students within the Southfield Public School District, where over 64% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Thompson K8 has historically ranked in the bottom 20th percentile statewide, but the most recent data shows a significant upward trend. The school's rank jumped from the 15th percentile to the 29th percentile, its highest point in a decade, moving from a 1-star to a 2-star rating. This improvement is broad-based—5th-grade ELA proficiency jumped to 46.6% (from 26.9% the year before), and 5th-grade math improved to 19% (from 7.3%). However, proficiency rates remain below district and state averages, indicating the school is in the early stages of a long recovery. One standout strength: Thompson K8 ranks in the 68th percentile for African American students and the 76th percentile for English Language Learner (ELL) students—remarkable outliers compared to its overall rank, and a pattern not seen at nearby schools like Norup International School in the Berkley School District.

The school faces a severe challenge with chronic absenteeism—52.7% of students are chronically absent, nearly double the state average (27.9%) and higher than the district average (49.6%). This is a stark contrast to schools just a mile or two away in the Berkley district, where chronic absenteeism is dramatically lower (e.g., 5.9% at Rogers Elementary School). Thompson K8 also spends a substantial $23,289 per student—higher than Norup International ($16,002) and Rogers Elementary ($17,173)—yet this investment has not yet translated into school-wide gains. The geographic proximity of these districts, with vastly different poverty rates and outcomes, highlights the powerful influence of socioeconomic factors. Addressing attendance will likely be a prerequisite for translating the school's high spending and targeted subgroup support into sustained, school-wide academic success.