The top reported proficiency rate is 8% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Old Redford Academy Elementary
Old Redford Academy Elementary is a charter school on Redford Street in Detroit, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. It operates under the Old Redford Academy charter district, a small independent charter system within the city. The school draws a predominantly Black student body, with nearly all students identified as economically disadvantaged through the free- or reduced-price lunch program. The enrollment is modest for its grade band, with classes spread fairly evenly across kindergarten and the early elementary grades.
On the most recent Michigan state assessments, the M-STEP, proficiency rates were low across both tested grades and subjects. In third-grade math, a small fraction of tested students reached proficiency. Fourth-grade math was only slightly higher. English language arts results followed a similar pattern, with third-grade proficiency quite low and fourth-grade only somewhat better. These results place the school in the bottom quartile on a combined proficiency index relative to districts across Wayne County. Older science and social studies assessment results, drawn from prior testing cycles, were also reported at very low levels. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism data was not available. Information on special populations, including students with individualized education programs and English learners, was missing from the available data.
No program offerings, course access details, staffing figures, or discipline data were provided, so a parent would need to contact the school directly to understand what instructional supports, extracurricular activities, or interventions are in place. The district brief noted that the broader Old Redford Academy system has had turnaround initiatives, and its high school has been identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement based on performance, but no specific district-level changes with clear parent impact were found in the available material.
The surrounding community is Detroit, a major urban center and the seat of Wayne County. Publicly reported sources describe a city shaped by its industrial automotive history, with the Big Three automakers still anchoring the regional economy. Revitalization has been concentrated in downtown, Midtown, and Corktown, with restored theaters, new residential construction, and riverfront redevelopment. The city's population has begun growing again after decades of decline, helped by immigration and new housing. Schools across Detroit are distributed through neighborhoods rather than on a single campus, and walkability varies considerably by area. The school's immediate ZIP code sits in a housing market that is quite affordable compared with both state and national benchmarks. Typical home values and rents in the area are well below what most Michigan and U.S. communities see, which may matter for families weighing relocation or rental costs.
For a family considering this school, the core academic picture is one of very low proficiency on state measures, positioning the school near the bottom of Wayne County's districts. What the school offers in terms of classroom approach, interventions, or specialized programming could not be determined from the available data. A parent may want to look into these areas directly with school leadership before making a decision.
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