Western Elementary School

Western Elementary School is a public school in Parma, MI, serving grades PK through 5 as part of the Western School District. The school holds a 3-star rating (66th percentile statewide), placing it slightly above the Michigan average for elementary schools.

Western Elementary shows a clear strength in early literacy. English Language Arts proficiency is consistently strong across all grades, with scores rising from 46.7% in 3rd grade to 56% in 5th grade—well above state averages. The school also shines in 3rd-grade math, where 56.4% of students are proficient, significantly outpacing the state average (42.9%) and district peers like Warner Elementary School (36%) and Bean Elementary School (46.3%). However, math proficiency drops sharply by 5th grade to 30.6%, falling below the state average—a trend also seen across other schools in the district. Perhaps most notably, Western earns a 4-star rating (71st percentile) for its work with students from low socio-economic backgrounds, indicating the school is especially effective at helping these students achieve strong academic outcomes.

One area of concern is special education. Western ranks in the 12th percentile (1 star) for this subgroup, the lowest-performing area for the school by a wide margin. This suggests families with children receiving special education services may want to ask detailed questions about support structures. When compared to nearby Jackson Public Schools options like Cascades Elementary School or Hunt Elementary School—where proficiency rates are in the single digits and teens—Western is performing at a vastly higher level. Overall, Western Elementary is a solid, stable choice with particular strengths in early literacy and supporting low-income students, though families should be aware of the math decline in upper grades and the challenges in special education services.