Summary:
Zip code 48219 in Detroit, MI, is served by just one middle school, Old Redford Academy Middle School, a public charter school within the Old Redford Academy district, which enrolls 241 students in grades 5 through 8.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that this school is struggling significantly compared to state averages. Academic proficiency on the M-Step and PSAT exams is roughly 25 to 30 percentage points below Michigan’s averages in nearly every subject and grade level. For example, only 10.4% of 5th graders are proficient in English Language Arts versus 43.8% statewide, and just 21.4% of 8th graders are proficient on the PSAT ELA compared to 64.8% statewide. The school’s state ranking has been in the bottom 10% for three straight years, though it has inched up from the 4th to the 8th percentile. One bright spot is 8th-grade Social Studies, which jumped from 9.9% to 25.7% proficiency in one year—still low, but showing that improvement is possible.
The biggest red flag is chronic absenteeism: 69.5% of students miss enough school to be considered chronically absent, nearly 2.5 times the state rate of 27.9%. This, combined with a high poverty rate (78.4% free/reduced lunch) and a student-teacher ratio of 21.9, creates a very challenging learning environment. Interestingly, the school spends a substantial $17,021 per student, yet that funding is not translating into results. Scores also fluctuate wildly between grade levels and years, suggesting that a student’s success may depend heavily on their specific teacher or cohort. If you are considering this school, you should weigh these academic and attendance challenges carefully against any alternative options.
Thank you for your feedback!