The top reported proficiency rate is 31% in English language arts. The lowest is 11% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on David Ellis Academy West
David Ellis Academy West is a single-school charter district in Wayne County, Michigan, serving kindergarten through eighth grade. Although it is authorized to serve pre-kindergarten through twelfth, the enrollment data shows students only in the elementary and middle grades, so there is no high school cohort and no graduation rate to report. This is a district where one building carries the entire program, and the enrollment is modest for the grade band it actually serves.
The student body is almost entirely Black. Free-or-reduced-price lunch data was not reported, and the same is true for special education and English learner counts, so the economic and special-population picture remains incomplete from what is available. A parent may want to ask the school directly about these figures.
On Michigan's M-STEP and PSAT assessments for the most recent year, proficiency in math was low across every tested grade, with only a small share of students reaching the proficient threshold. The pattern was weakest in the upper elementary and middle grades. ELA results were more uneven. Eighth grade stood out as a relative bright spot, with a majority of tested students proficient, and fourth grade was also comparatively strong. The intervening grades showed more modest proficiency. Science and social studies results were also low, though eighth grade social studies was the stronger of the two tested grades.
Against Wayne County's districts, the district's overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint. Chronic absenteeism was reported at a level above the county midpoint, which is worth noting because absenteeism and academic performance often travel together. Per-pupil current spending landed in the middle range, upper half, among the county's districts. No participation rate data was available for any tested grade or subject, which limits how fully the results can be interpreted.
The district brief points to a pedagogical development that is publicly reported on the school's own profile page. David Ellis Academy West is in the process of becoming an official Leader In Me school, built around Stephen Covey's seven habits framework. This is a whole-school model that emphasizes student leadership and life skills across all grade levels, and it represents a shift in the school's approach to culture and instruction. A parent evaluating the school's direction may find this relevant, as it signals an intent to build leadership and character alongside academic content.
No locale brief or community context was available, so there is no housing, demographic, or economic information to draw on here. The school's location within Wayne County places it in a large, diverse county with many districts of widely varying size and character, but the specific community setting is not described in the data provided.
For a family considering this school, the academic results are the central piece to weigh. Math is the area of clearest concern, with proficiency persistently low from third through eighth grade. ELA has pockets of strength, particularly in the upper grades, but the overall picture across subjects and grades is below where most Wayne County districts sit. The Leader In Me initiative suggests the school is actively working on its culture and student development, which some families may value. A parent with questions about absenteeism, special populations, or the trajectory of the leadership program would do well to contact the school directly, as those details are either missing or newly unfolding.
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