Best High Schools in Zip Code 48228

The three high schools serving zip code 48228 in Detroit, Michigan—Cody High School, Detroit Leadership Academy High School, and WAY Academy Chicago Site—collectively educate roughly 910 students in grades 6 through 12, and all face severe socioeconomic and academic challenges that place them far below Michigan state averages.

If you are comparing schools here, Cody High School stands out as the largest and most traditional option, with 563 students and the strongest overall outcomes: a 72.3% graduation rate, the lowest dropout rate (15.4%), and notably higher proficiency in Social Studies (27.5%) compared to peers. However, its academic scores remain critically low—just 7.7% proficient in SAT Reading/Writing and 6.9% in Science—and it spends the most per student ($23,246) while still underperforming its own struggling Detroit Public Schools Community District. Detroit Leadership Academy High School, a charter serving 271 students, posts a similar graduation rate (69.8%) but shows a puzzling collapse in English Language Arts: 24% proficiency in 9th grade drops to just 6.3% by 10th grade, a red flag for parents to investigate. WAY Academy Chicago Site is the smallest (76 students) and serves the highest-need population (94.7% free/reduced lunch), yet its 29.1% graduation rate equals its dropout rate, and chronic absenteeism reaches 81.5%—making it the most at-risk environment of the three.

The defining crisis across all three schools is chronic absenteeism, ranging from 69.2% at Detroit Leadership to 81.5% at WAY Academy, compared to the 27.9% state average. With 7 to 8 in 10 students regularly missing school, academic progress is nearly impossible regardless of funding or programming. Per-student spending also varies widely—Cody spends $23,246 versus $15,424 at WAY Academy—yet higher spending does not translate into better results. For parents, the takeaway is clear: these schools are struggling against systemic barriers of poverty and disengagement, and no single school here offers outcomes close to state benchmarks. If considering any of these options, prioritize visiting the school, asking about attendance interventions, and understanding the specific supports available for your child.