Marquette Elementarymiddle School, Detroit MI

Original Research by School Decision on Marquette Elementarymiddle School

Marquette Elementary-Middle School is a regular public school in the Detroit Public Schools Community District, serving pre-kindergarten through eighth grade on Canyon Street in Detroit. The enrollment is moderate for a combined elementary and middle school, with fairly even distribution across grade levels. The student body is almost entirely Black, and a very large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic conditions of the surrounding community. Data on special education enrollment and English learner status was not available in the provided sources, so those dimensions cannot be characterized here.

On state assessments, Marquette's results are low across every tested subject and grade. In math, proficiency rates are in the single digits at every grade level, with upper grades falling into the lowest reported range. English language arts shows a similar pattern, though the eighth-grade ELA proficiency rate is the highest figure in the school's results, still quite modest in absolute terms. Science and social studies results fall into the same low range. When measured against districts in Wayne County, Marquette's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile, well below the county median. A parent evaluating this school may want to look into what academic supports and interventions are in place, and how the school and district are working to strengthen instruction.

The school does not have a graduation rate, which is expected because it serves only elementary and middle grades. No chronic absenteeism, discipline, course access, or staffing data was available in the provided sources, so those areas cannot be described. Program offerings were also not provided, so there is no information here about extracurriculars, arts, or specialized academic pathways.

Detroit itself is a major urban center and the historical heart of the American automotive industry. General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis North America all maintain headquarters or major operations in the metro area. Other large employers include Henry Ford Health, the Detroit Medical Center, and Rocket Mortgage. The city has a dense downtown core with high-rises and historic theaters, transitioning outward into expansive residential neighborhoods, many of which experienced decades of disinvestment following industrial restructuring and suburbanization. Since the 2000s, publicly reported revitalization efforts have brought restoration of historic venues, new sports stadiums, and riverfront redevelopment. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Detroit's population grew for a second consecutive year as of 2025, attributed largely to increased immigration and new housing development concentrated in Midtown, Corktown, and the East Riverfront.

The school sits in a Detroit zip code where typical home values are below the state benchmark and well below national figures, reflecting the broader affordability of much of Detroit's housing stock. County-level listing data shows a market with a substantial supply of active listings and moderate demand, with homes sitting on the market for roughly a month and a half on median. Rents in the immediate area are modest relative to national norms.

At the district level, Detroit Public Schools Community District announced a multi-year facilities improvement plan in 2024 to renovate and modernize school buildings, funded through capital projects funding and grants. For parents at Marquette, this could mean building improvements over time, though it may also bring temporary disruptions during renovation work.

What the available picture shows is a neighborhood public school serving a high-poverty, predominantly Black student population in a city undergoing measured revitalization, with state assessment results that sit in the bottom quartile among Wayne County districts. Families considering Marquette would benefit from direct conversations with school leadership about academic strategy, available student supports, and how the district's facilities plan will affect the campus.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 36%

School 6% · District 16% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 36 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 411%

School 11% · District 13% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Grade 58%

School 8% · District 9% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 36%

School 6% · District 13% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 49%

School 9% · District 15% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 510%

School 10% · District 17% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 68%

School 8% · District 17% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 711%

School 11% · District 16% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 818%

School 18% · District 31% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 45 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Science

Grade 88%

School 8% · District 17% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

This schoolDetroit Public Schools Community District, 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.