The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in Math. The lowest is 8% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Willow School
Willow School is a regular public elementary school in the Lansing Public School District, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade on Lansing's west side. It sits in a city that is Michigan's state capital and a regional hub for government, higher education, insurance, and healthcare. Lansing's downtown core, anchored by the Michigan State Capitol in a park at the city center, is a short distance away, and the Grand River winds through the city with a riverfront trail system popular for biking and walking. Michigan State University sits in neighboring East Lansing, and Lansing Community College operates within the city itself. The area's major employers include state government, several national insurance companies, Sparrow Health System, McLaren Greater Lansing, and General Motors. The housing market around Willow is quite affordable relative to the state and nation, with home values well below Michigan's benchmark and rents that sit comfortably within reach for working families.
The school's student body is small for an elementary serving this grade range. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic conditions of the surrounding neighborhood. The enrollment is racially diverse, with Black students forming the largest group, followed by Hispanic students, then white students and students of two or more races in similar proportions. A small number of Asian students and American Indian or Alaska Native students round out the population. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not available, so those figures are absent here rather than implied to be low or high.
On state assessments, Willow's results are low. In the most recent tested year, third-grade math proficiency was the strongest result, with roughly a quarter of tested students meeting or exceeding standards. Fourth-grade math was markedly lower. English language arts proficiency was in the single digits for both third and fourth grades. Science results were suppressed in the one year on record, going back several years, so no science picture is available. When measured against districts in Ingham County, Willow's overall proficiency sits in the bottom quartile. A parent considering this school may want to look into the specific supports and interventions the staff is using to move these numbers, and how the school communicates student growth beyond the proficiency rates themselves. No trend data was available to show whether results are improving or declining over time.
Because Willow serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and the school does not have chronic absenteeism data in the available set. Information on staffing ratios, discipline, course access, and attendance was also missing. Title I status was not reported, though the near-universal free-or-reduced-price-lunch rate suggests the school likely operates under that federal designation.
One of the most relevant things for a family to know is that Willow is in the middle of a physical transformation. In late 2022, Lansing voters approved a bond that funds a new Willow Elementary building on the existing site, along with security upgrades, technology enhancements, a new district-wide early childhood center, and athletic facility improvements across Lansing Public Schools. Publicly reported district communications indicate the rebuilt Willow was expected to open for the 2025-2026 school year, with students temporarily housed at Riddle Elementary during construction. That investment signals a commitment to the building and the neighborhood, though families should confirm the current construction timeline directly with the district.
The broader district context carries some uncertainty. Lansing Public School District has been grappling with a budget deficit tied to declining enrollment and the expiration of federal COVID-19 relief funds. District leadership has begun publicly discussing potential school consolidation, though no specific buildings have been named for closure. That financial pressure is real and could affect programming or school configurations down the line. For a family looking at Willow, the combination of a brand-new building and district-level fiscal strain is worth weighing together, and asking district leaders directly about plans for the school would be a reasonable next step.
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