The top reported proficiency rate is 23% in Science. The lowest is 11% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Pasteur Elementary School
Pasteur Elementary School sits on Stoepel Street in Detroit's 48221 zip code, serving pre-kindergarten through sixth grade as a regular public school within the Detroit Public Schools Community District. The school's enrollment is moderate for an elementary program spread across those grades, and the student body is nearly entirely Black, with only a handful of students from other racial backgrounds. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic conditions of the surrounding neighborhood. Data on special education enrollment and English learner counts was not available, so those dimensions of the student population cannot be described here.
On state assessments, Pasteur's results are low across the board. In mathematics, the share of students scoring proficient or above sits in the low teens in third and sixth grade and dips into the single digits in fourth grade. Fifth grade math proficiency was reported in a range that begins at zero, meaning very few if any students reached proficiency on that test. English language arts results are somewhat stronger but still modest, climbing from the low teens in third grade to roughly a quarter of students proficient by sixth grade. Science proficiency in fifth grade lands in the low twenties, and social studies in the same grade is in the low teens. When compared against districts in Wayne County, Pasteur's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls below the midpoint of the cohort. A parent considering this school may want to look into what academic support structures and interventions are in place, and how the school and district are working to move these numbers. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say whether results are improving, declining, or holding steady.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and that absence simply reflects the grade band served rather than any gap in the data. Participation rates for the state assessments were also missing from the available data.
Detroit itself is a major urban center, historically the heart of the American automotive industry, with General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis all maintaining a strong regional presence. The city has gone through decades of disinvestment and population loss following industrial restructuring and suburbanization, but publicly reported figures indicate Detroit's population has grown for two consecutive years as of 2025, the first time since the 1950s the city led Michigan in population growth. Revitalization has been concentrated downtown, in Midtown, in Corktown, and along the East Riverfront, with projects like the Hudson's site mixed-use development and the Gordie Howe International Bridge under construction. Walkability varies considerably by neighborhood, and the Detroit Public Schools Community District's buildings are spread across the city rather than clustered on a single campus.
The housing market around Pasteur reflects Detroit's broader affordability picture. Typical home values in the 48221 zip code are well below both the state and national benchmarks, and recent year-over-year values have declined modestly. Rents have risen slightly. Median listing prices in Wayne County have dipped compared to the prior year, and homes are spending a bit longer on the market, with supply outpacing demand in the available scoring. For a family looking at ownership, the estimated monthly mortgage cost in this area is quite low relative to national figures, though mortgage rates remain elevated in the broader economy. At the district level, Detroit Public Schools Community District has announced a multi-year facilities improvement plan aimed at renovating and modernizing school buildings, funded through capital projects funding and grants. This could mean a better physical environment for Pasteur students over time, though it may also involve disruptions during construction.
Pasteur is a neighborhood elementary school serving a predominantly Black, high-poverty student population in a city undergoing uneven but real revitalization. Its academic results are a soft spot, plainly, and a family evaluating this school would want to ask direct questions about what instruction and intervention look like day to day.
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