Summary:
There are eight elementary schools serving the 48504 zip code in Flint, MI, a mix of traditional public schools and charter academies that collectively serve grades K-8 and face significant socioeconomic challenges, with nearly all students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Linden Charter Academy and Northridge Academy are the strongest academic performers in the area, despite spending the least per student ($13,255 and $12,699, respectively). Linden is the only school with a district ranking above the 25th percentile (48th) and a 2-star rating, and it actually exceeds state averages in 7th-grade ELA and 8th-grade Social Studies. Northridge has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the entire group at 28.6%, nearly matching the state average, and its ranking improved from the 27th to the 17th percentile between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. In contrast, the two highest-spending schools—Brownell STEM Academy at $33,507 per student and Durant Tuuri Mott School at $30,912—are among the lowest performers, with proficiency rates often below 10% in core subjects. This spending paradox suggests that money alone does not drive results.
Chronic absenteeism is the clearest predictor of success here. Schools with rates above 60%, including Greater Heights Academy (65.1%) and Brownell STEM (64.6%), show the weakest test scores, while the two top performers have the lowest absenteeism. Colonel Donald McMonagle Elementary School (45.6%) and Michael Hamady Elementary School (58.3%) fall in the middle, though Hamady only serves grades K-1, making its high absenteeism an early warning sign. Eagles Nest Academy lacks recent test data, making it difficult to assess. Notably, the Flint School District of the City of schools spend the most but struggle the most, while charter schools like Linden and Northridge achieve better outcomes with fewer resources, suggesting their operational models may be more effective in this context.
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