Gerald Dawkins Academy

Gerald Dawkins Academy is a small, K-5 public elementary school in Grand Rapids, MI, serving 152 students as its own single-school district, where nearly all students (97%) come from economically disadvantaged households.

This school stands out for its remarkable success with its African American students, ranking in the 73rd percentile statewide for this group—a 4-star rating that far exceeds the school's overall 1-star performance. This tells parents that the school has found effective approaches for this population that could potentially benefit all students. The school also shows meaningful progress with students from low-income backgrounds, jumping from the 27th to 47th percentile in just one year. However, there's a stark contrast within the building: while African American students thrive, male students rank in only the 17th percentile, suggesting the school may need to examine gender-specific support strategies. Academically, results vary widely by grade and subject—5th graders nearly hit the state average in reading (41% vs. 44%), but 3rd graders lag significantly behind (17% vs. 38%).

Parents should know that Gerald Dawkins Academy invests heavily in its students, spending $20,430 per child—far more than nearby high-performing schools like Wealthy School ($13,329) or Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center ($12,794)—and maintains a low 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio. Despite these resources, the school faces a serious challenge: 44% of students are chronically absent, more than 1.5 times the state average. This likely explains why overall test scores remain low despite strong investment. When compared to similar high-poverty schools like William C Abney Academy or Campus Elementary, Gerald Dawkins generally outperforms them—its 5th-grade reading proficiency is more than double Abney's and four times Campus Elementary's—but the gap with wealthier nearby schools remains significant.