The top reported proficiency rate is 35% in English language arts. The lowest is 18% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Laurus Academy
Laurus Academy is a single-school K through 8 charter district in Oakland County, Michigan. It operates one building under the same name as the district, which is typical of Michigan's charter landscape. The school draws just under 800 students across its grade bands, with fairly even distribution from kindergarten through eighth grade. The student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of students identifying as two or more races and very small numbers in other categories. Information on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education rates, and English learner status was not available, so the economic profile of the student population is something a parent may want to ask the school about directly.
On state assessments, the most recent results show a clear pattern: English language arts is the stronger subject, while math, science, and social studies lag behind. In ELA, proficiency rates climb as students move through the grades, with the highest result arriving in eighth grade on the PSAT, where nearly half of tested students reached proficiency. Middle-grade ELA results in fourth through seventh grade cluster in the mid-thirties range, and third grade sits lower. Math tells a different story. Proficiency across grades three through eight stays in a narrow band in the low twenties, dipping to its lowest point in eighth grade. Science results in fifth and eighth grade land in the mid-twenties, and social studies scores in both tested grades sit lower still.
When placed among Oakland County's districts, Laurus Academy's overall proficiency index falls below the midpoint. Oakland County contains a wide spread of districts, and Laurus sits in the lower portion of that range. A parent weighing this school should know that the county's median proficiency is meaningfully higher, and many neighboring districts post results well above what Laurus currently shows. At the same time, the school's ELA trajectory through the upper grades suggests some growth in literacy as students advance, which is worth noting alongside the broader picture.
Chronic absenteeism is a pressing concern. The rate reported for Laurus Academy places it in the bottom quartile among Oakland County districts, well above the county median. High absenteeism complicates every other academic indicator, since students who are not in school regularly are less likely to build proficiency over time. This is an area a parent would want to understand in detail: whether the school has specific attendance interventions, what drives the absences, and how the school communicates with families about attendance.
Per-pupil current spending sits in the lower range compared to other Oakland County districts. Charter schools in Michigan typically operate without local property-tax revenue, relying on state per-pupil allocations, which often places them below traditional districts in spending. This does not automatically translate to weaker outcomes, but it does mean the school operates with fewer dollars per student than most of its county peers, which can shape class sizes, support staff, and enrichment offerings.
Because Laurus serves only grades K through 8, there is no graduation rate to report. That metric simply does not apply to this entity. Families considering Laurus for the long term will want to ask about the transition pathway into high school, since students must move on to another institution after eighth grade.
The district brief search turned up no documented property-tax, referendum, curriculum, or pedagogy changes meeting a lasting-impact threshold. This is consistent with a charter district of this size and structure. No locale brief was available for the school's immediate community, so we cannot speak to housing values, neighborhood character, or local context from the provided data. The school's physical address and city were not specified in the directory information.
What the evidence supports is a K through 8 charter school with a strong majority-Black student body, modest overall proficiency that sits below the county midpoint, a genuinely encouraging upward trend in upper-grade ELA, and a chronic absenteeism rate that demands attention. Spending is lean relative to county peers. For a family considering this school, the most productive next step would be asking the administration directly about attendance interventions, math support, and the high school transition process.
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