The top reported proficiency rate is 22% in English language arts. The lowest is 9% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Cesar Chavez Academy Intermediate
Cesar Chavez Academy Intermediate is a charter school in Detroit serving third through fifth graders. It sits on Martin Street in the 48210 zip code, a working-class corner of a city whose story most people know at least in outline. Detroit is a major urban center shaped by its automotive heritage, with the Big Three automakers still anchoring the regional economy. The city has seen renewed population growth in recent years after decades of decline, with revitalization concentrated in Midtown, Corktown, and along the riverfront. The neighborhoods around the school are more modest and residential, part of Detroit's expansive fabric of blocks that experienced long disinvestment but are now part of a city finding its footing again. Housing values in this zip code run far below both state and national benchmarks, which tells you something about the economic pressures many families here face.
The school's enrollment is predominantly Hispanic, with the vast majority of students identifying as such. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic realities of the surrounding community. The student body is small for its grade band, organized across three grade levels with roughly balanced cohorts. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not reported, so those population details are unavailable here.
On Michigan's M-STEP assessments, the most recent results show a school working from a low baseline. English language arts is the relative bright spot. Fifth-grade ELA proficiency reached the upper twenties, and third and fourth grades hovered in the high teens. Math results were weaker, declining from the high teens in third grade to single digits by fifth grade. Science and social studies, both tested only in fifth grade, landed in the teens and single digits respectively. When the school is positioned against districts in Wayne County, its overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint. These are soft spots a parent may want to look into further with the school, asking what instructional supports and interventions are in place, particularly as students move from fourth to fifth grade where math proficiency drops most steeply.
No graduation rate applies here, because the school serves only elementary grades. Chronic absenteeism data was not available, and participation rates for the state assessments were missing from the reported data. No trend information was provided, so it is not possible to say from this data whether proficiency is moving up or down over time. Information on programs, staffing, discipline, attendance, and course access was also absent, so those dimensions of the school experience are not represented here. The district brief for Cesar Chavez Academy turned up no parent-relevant changes with lasting impact in recent reporting. As an independent charter district, it does not levy local property taxes or hold referendums.
What the data does convey is a school serving a specific community with particular needs. The nearly homogeneous Hispanic enrollment and the concentration of economic disadvantage suggest a school that functions as a neighborhood institution, likely with cultural and linguistic ties that matter to families choosing it. Detroit's broader context, with its mix of stubborn challenges and genuine revitalization, frames the picture. The city's major employers in healthcare, automotive, and finance are not far away, and the civic infrastructure of libraries, museums, and riverfront paths is accessible, but the immediate surroundings of the school remain part of Detroit's less resourced residential landscape.
For a parent evaluating this school, the academic data points to real struggles with proficiency, particularly in math as students advance through the grades. ELA holds up better, and fifth-grade ELA in particular showed a meaningful jump. The school's charter status gives it operational flexibility that some families value, and its community identity may provide a culturally affirming environment. The missing data on staffing, programs, and student support services means a parent would need to visit and ask directly about what the school offers beyond what test scores capture.
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