The top reported proficiency rate is 25% in English language arts. The lowest is 9% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences Middle School
Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences Middle School is a charter school serving grades six through eight on East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit. It sits within the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences charter district, and its location places it along one of the city's major eastern corridors, near the riverfront and the residential neighborhoods that radiate outward from downtown. The school serves a student body that is almost entirely Black, and nearly all of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. No data on English learners or special education enrollment was reported, so those dimensions are not visible here. The enrollment is moderate for a middle school, with roughly even distribution across the three grade levels.
On state assessments, the most recent results paint a mixed picture. In English language arts, the school sees a quarter or more of students reaching proficiency in sixth and eighth grade, with seventh grade landing somewhat lower. These are not high marks in absolute terms, but they show more students on track in literacy than in mathematics. Math proficiency is a clear soft spot. It declines steadily from sixth grade through eighth grade, with eighth-grade math proficiency falling to a very low level. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, particularly what interventions or curriculum supports are in place for students struggling in mathematics as they approach high school. Science and social studies, tested only in eighth grade, show roughly a fifth of students reaching proficiency in each subject. When positioned relative to districts in Wayne County, the school's overall proficiency lands below the midpoint, which is consistent with the grade-by-grade pattern.
Because this is a middle school, there is no graduation rate to report. No chronic absenteeism data was available either. No information on course access, staffing ratios, discipline, or attendance was provided, so those areas remain unnamed gaps rather than something a reader can evaluate. The school's charter status means it operates independently of the Detroit Public Schools Community District, with its own governance structure, though it serves students living in the same city.
Detroit itself is a major urban center in the midst of a well-documented turnaround. Publicly reported sources note that the city's population grew for two consecutive years as of recently, the first sustained growth since the 1950s, driven by immigration and new housing construction. Revitalization has been concentrated in Midtown, Corktown, and the East Riverfront, with major projects including the Hudson's site redevelopment and the Gordie Howe International Bridge. The city's economy remains anchored by the automotive industry, with General Motors headquartered downtown and Ford and Stellantis in surrounding suburbs. Health systems like Henry Ford Health and the Detroit Medical Center are also major employers. Walkability varies sharply by neighborhood, with the downtown and Midtown cores more navigable on foot and by transit, while outer areas are car-dependent.
The housing market around the school reflects Detroit's broader affordability profile. Home values in the school's zip code are well below both state and national benchmarks, and have been declining modestly year over year. Rents are also low relative to national levels, with a slight upward trend. For families considering the area, housing costs are among the most affordable in any major American city, though the surrounding neighborhood context and property condition vary widely block to block.
No parent-relevant district changes were found in recent searches, so there is little to report on strategic shifts or new initiatives at the charter district level. Families considering this school would be choosing a small, nearly homogeneous middle school environment with a focus suggested by its name on arts and sciences, though no specific program offerings were available in the data to describe. The academic results indicate real challenges in mathematics and modest literacy outcomes, set against a city that is investing in its own renewal.
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