Schools in Zip Code 48239

Zip code 48239, covering parts of Redford Township and Detroit, Michigan, is served by 12 schools—7 elementary, 2 middle, and 3 high schools—spanning grades PK-12 across five districts, with a total enrollment of roughly 5,153 students and a high-poverty profile where about 75% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

For parents, the standout school in this area is Ann Arbor Trail Magnet School, a small middle school of just 68 students that earns the highest rating in the zip code (3 stars, 50th percentile statewide). Despite having the highest poverty rate (91% free/reduced lunch), it posts 8th-grade PSAT math proficiency of 40%—more than triple the district average—and 50% ELA proficiency, supported by an exceptional 7.1:1 student-teacher ratio and $41,883 per-student spending. At the high school level, Lee M Thurston High School shines with a 98.4% graduation rate and 0% dropout rate, far exceeding state averages, though its academic proficiency lags. In contrast, Washington-Parks Academy is a major concern: it ranks in the 5th percentile, has 0% 7th-grade math proficiency, a 42.2:1 student-teacher ratio, and 65.5% chronic absenteeism—making it the weakest performer in the area.

Across the board, math proficiency trails ELA significantly at every school, and all 12 schools exceed the state’s 27.9% chronic absenteeism rate, with even the best (Thomas Jefferson Elementary at 30.4%) above average. The South Redford School District shows internal consistency among its five elementary schools (Fisher, Jane Addams, Vandenberg, Thomas Jefferson, Hilbert), all hovering in the 20-35% ELA range, though Vandenberg Elementary posted a remarkable 24.4-point jump in 5th-grade ELA proficiency in one year. Charter schools here, including Westfield Charter Academy and Washington-Parks Academy, generally underperform traditional public schools, challenging assumptions about charter advantages. While the community faces significant economic and attendance challenges, Ann Arbor Trail and Lee M Thurston prove that high-poverty schools can achieve strong outcomes with intensive resources and targeted support.