Schools in Zip Code 48125

Zip code 48125 in Dearborn Heights, MI, is served by eight schools across two main districts—Dearborn Heights School District #7 and Westwood Community School District—including four elementary schools, one middle school, and three high schools, all facing significant economic challenges with free/reduced-price lunch rates averaging above 78%.

For parents, the standout school in this area is Bedford School, which despite an 82% poverty rate, is the only elementary school meeting or exceeding state averages in 3rd-grade math (55.4% vs. 42.9% state) and reading (39.3% vs. 38.2% state), and it has shown strong upward momentum in its state ranking. In contrast, Thorne Elementary School struggles mightily, with just 5.1% of 3rd-graders proficient in reading and a 92.6% poverty rate. At the secondary level, Oakley W Best Middle School is a bright spot, improving from the 16th to 33rd percentile in state rankings over three years, while Annapolis High School is the top traditional high school with an 86.3% graduation rate and the highest SAT reading scores in the area—far outperforming Robichaud Senior High School, which has a 9th-percentile ranking and 61.3% chronic absenteeism.

The most pressing issue across nearly all schools is chronic absenteeism, which exceeds the 27.9% state average everywhere except Dearborn Heights Virtual Academy (24.0%), yet that virtual school has the lowest graduation rate (64.1%). Interestingly, higher spending does not translate to better results—Annapolis High School spends the least ($17,829 per student) but achieves the best outcomes, while Robichaud Senior High School spends $23,817 with far weaker performance. The clear takeaway is that Bedford School proves high achievement is possible despite poverty, and its strategies deserve attention, while the district-wide pattern of low proficiency and high absenteeism suggests systemic challenges that require targeted interventions beyond just funding.