Paragon Charter Academy, Jackson MI

Original Research by School Decision on Paragon Charter Academy

Paragon Charter Academy is a kindergarten-through-eighth-grade charter school on Jackson's south side, sitting along McCain Road just outside the city's downtown core. It draws from a mid-sized industrial city that has spent decades working through the decline of heavy manufacturing. Jackson still carries visible markers of that history: the county courthouse anchoring downtown, a compact commercial strip along East Michigan Avenue with its Coney Island restaurants and the historic Michigan Theatre, and major employers like CMS Energy, Henry Ford Health, and Eaton Corporation keeping the local economy tethered to its industrial roots. The Bright Walls mural project and adaptive reuse efforts like the Armory Arts Village point to a city investing in its downtown identity, even as long-term population decline continues to shape the broader housing and civic picture.

The school itself serves a sizable enrollment for a single K-8 charter, with a student body that is racially mixed. White students make up the largest share, followed by a substantial Black population, a meaningful group identifying as two or more races, and Hispanic and Asian students rounding out the composition. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which reflects the economic context of Jackson more broadly. The data does not include individualized education program counts or English learner figures, so the picture of special-population support is incomplete here.

On state assessments, Paragon's results follow an unusual and encouraging pattern. Elementary-grade proficiency is middling. Third-grade math is a relative bright spot, but fifth-grade math dips, and English language arts across grades three through six sits in a lower band. The story shifts noticeably in the upper grades. By eighth grade, proficiency in math, ELA, science, and social studies all jump to levels that stand out, with roughly two-thirds to nearly three-quarters of tested students reaching proficiency. Social studies and science in eighth grade are particular strengths. Whether this reflects the school's instructional approach maturing students over time, a smaller and more selected cohort reaching eighth grade, or some combination, the data alone cannot say. A parent may want to ask the school how it accounts for that trajectory.

Against its peers, Paragon sits in the top quartile among districts in Jackson County on an overall proficiency index that averages tested subjects and grades. The county's median proficiency sits well below Paragon's level, and the school approaches the top of the county range. That is a strong standing for a charter serving a population with the economic profile this one has.

Because Paragon stops at eighth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and the school does not serve the grade band where that measure applies. No data was available on chronic absenteeism, discipline, course access, staffing ratios, or program offerings like AP, dual credit, or career pathways. These gaps limit the picture of day-to-day school environment and enrichment. The absence of a programs section means a parent would need to go directly to the school for details on extracurriculars, intervention supports, or specialized electives.

The housing market around Paragon is modest by state and national standards. Typical home values in the school's zip code sit below the Michigan benchmark and well below the national one, with rents similarly affordable. Year-over-year home value growth has been slight, while rents have risen more quickly, a pattern that affects renting families more than homeowners. For families already in Jackson, or those willing to relocate into a lower-cost market, housing access near the school is relatively attainable compared with much of the state.

What Paragon offers is a K-8 charter option with a mixed student body, an assessment profile that strengthens considerably by eighth grade, and a standing near the top of its county on proficiency. The missing pieces on programs, staffing, and school climate mean a family would need to fill those in through direct contact. For a parent whose priority is a school where students appear to hit their stride in the upper elementary and middle school years, Paragon warrants a close look.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 359%

School 59% · District 59%

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 447%

School 47% · District 47%

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 534%

School 34% · District 34%

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 641%

School 41% · District 41%

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 745%

School 45% · District 45%

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Grade 864%

School 64% · District 64%

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 337%

School 37% · District 37%

▼ 1 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 442%

School 42% · District 42%

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 539%

School 39% · District 39%

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 637%

School 37% · District 37%

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 758%

School 58% · District 58%

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 873%

School 73% · District 73%

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Science

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 42%

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 868%

School 68% · District 68%

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 33%

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 873%

School 73% · District 73%

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

This schoolParagon Charter Academy, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income27%Higher-income54%27 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income31%Higher-income57%26 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income24%Higher-income57%32 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income28%Higher-income50%22 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income54%Higher-income69%15 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income69%Higher-income80%11 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income52%Higher-income71%19 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income37%Higher-income60%23 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income19%Higher-income53%34 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income31%Higher-income55%23 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income33%Higher-income77%44 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income55%Higher-income80%25 pp gap