Summary:
Zip code 48186, serving the Westland, Michigan area, contains 8 schools—5 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 alternative school—with no high schools present, meaning students must leave the area for grades 9-12.
For parents exploring this area, the standout option is PD Graham Elementary School, which ranks highest in the zip code (25th percentile statewide) and outperforms its district peers in 5th grade ELA (33.8% vs. 25.8% district), science (29.4% vs. 21.8%), and social studies (17.9% vs. 11.4%). Graham also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (34.6%) and lowest poverty concentration (51.52% free/reduced lunch) among district elementary schools. At the middle school level, Adlai Stevenson Middle School is the stronger choice, ranking in the 25th percentile statewide and beating Adams Middle School on nearly every metric—including 8th grade science (28.2% vs. 22.7% district) and lower absenteeism (50.4% vs. 55.8%). Among other elementary schools, Albert Schweitzer Elementary School and Alexander Hamilton Elementary School show 3rd grade ELA proficiency around 27-29%, while Eugene B Elliott Elementary School lags significantly at 11.5%.
All schools in this area face serious challenges. Chronic absenteeism exceeds the state average (27.9%) at every school, ranging from 34.6% at Graham to a staggering 77% at American International Academy Elementary, which also has the highest poverty rate (96.41%) and has not been ranked since 2018-2019. Math proficiency is particularly weak across the board—6th grade math at Stevenson is just 11.5% (state: 31.9%) and at Adams only 6.2%. Hawthorn Center, an alternative school with just 12 students, reports a 75% dropout rate. The Wayne-Westland Community School District overall ranks in the 11th percentile statewide with a 1-star rating, though individual school performance varies meaningfully—suggesting school-level leadership matters even within a struggling district.
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