The top reported proficiency rate is 26% in English language arts. The lowest is 11% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mound Park Elementary School
Mound Park Elementary School sits on Toepfer Road in Warren, Michigan, serving only fourth and fifth graders as part of Fitzgerald Public Schools. It is a short-lived stop in a child's education, a two-grade bridge school where families pass through on the way to middle school. That narrow grade band shapes everything about how a family should read the place. There is no graduation rate to consult, no kindergarten readiness story, no high school program list. What exists here is a focused snapshot of how children perform during the years Michigan tests them at the upper elementary level.
The school's state assessment results from the most recent year tell a consistent story across subjects. English language arts is where students show the most relative strength, with roughly a quarter to nearly a third of test-takers reaching proficiency across the two grades. Math results are markedly lower, with only a small fraction of fourth graders and an even smaller share of fifth graders demonstrating proficiency. Science and social studies, tested only in fifth grade, land in between, closer to the ELA results than the math ones. When positioned relative to districts in Macomb County, Mound Park's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the bottom quartile. This is a soft spot, stated plainly. A parent weighing this school may want to look into how Fitzgerald Public Schools supports students who arrive below grade level, and what intervention or tutoring structures exist for children during these two pivotal years.
The student body is modest in size for a two-grade school, and it reflects the surrounding community in Warren. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, pointing to a predominantly low-income enrollment. The racial and ethnic composition is diverse, with Black students forming the largest group, followed by roughly equal shares of Asian and White students, and a meaningful portion identified as two or more races. Hispanic students make up a smaller segment. Information on English learners and students receiving special education services was not available in the data provided, so those populations cannot be characterized here.
Warren itself is a large, sprawling inner-ring suburb of Detroit and the most populous city in Macomb County. Publicly reported sources describe it as an auto-oriented place built around wide arterial roads, strip commercial corridors, and mid-century residential subdivisions rather than a traditional walkable downtown. The city has no concentrated main street or central square. Its civic life centers on the Warren Civic Center complex and a public library system with branches spread across the city's large footprint. The economy runs on automotive and defense employment, with General Motors, the U.S. Army Detroit Arsenal, and Stellantis as the dominant anchors. The city grew explosively in the postwar decades and has been gradually declining in population since its peak, becoming a mature suburb with an aging housing stock rather than a place experiencing fresh growth.
The housing market around Mound Park reflects that mature-suburb character. Typical home values in the school's zip code sit well below both the state and national benchmarks, making this one of the more affordable pockets of metro Detroit for ownership. Rents are also modest relative to broader regional norms. Countywide, Macomb County's housing market shows a healthy supply of active listings, a median listing price below the state benchmark, and homes spending roughly a month and a half on the market before going under contract. Demand has cooled somewhat from the prior year. For a family looking to buy or rent near the school, the cost of entry is comparatively low, and the area offers stable, established neighborhoods with good proximity to major employment corridors.
The district brief for Fitzgerald Public Schools returned little on recent changes or strategic initiatives, so there is nothing to relay about new programs, facility investments, or leadership transitions. That absence leaves a gap for families who want to understand the district's direction. A parent would do well to contact the district office directly for current priorities and any plans that may affect upper elementary education.
What Mound Park offers is a brief, focused academic experience in a diverse, low-income setting within an affordable, working-class corner of a major industrial suburb. The academic results are currently low, particularly in math. Families for whom proximity to Warren's employment centers, affordability, and a short commute matter most may find the location practical. Families prioritizing strong proficiency numbers may want to ask hard questions about the school's improvement plans before committing.
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