The top reported proficiency rate is 33% in Science. The lowest is 20% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Bishop Elementary School
Bishop Elementary School sits on Whittaker Road in Ypsilanti, part of the Lincoln Consolidated School District. It is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade, with an enrollment that places it among the larger elementary schools in its area. The student body is diverse. White students make up the largest single group, but Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students each represent meaningful portions of the population. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which signals the economic realities many families in this attendance zone face.
On state assessments, the most recent M-STEP results show a mixed but generally modest picture. In English language arts, proficiency rates climb from third grade through fifth, with the upper grades reaching roughly a third of tested students. Math tells a harder story. Third-grade math proficiency starts at a moderate level but drops sharply in fourth and fifth grades, with only a small fraction of fifth graders reaching proficiency. Science proficiency in fifth grade lands near that same upper-tier ELA level, while social studies trails behind at a lower rate. Taken together, the school's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint relative to districts in Washtenaw County. A parent weighing Bishop may want to look into this further with the school, particularly what supports are in place for math instruction in the upper elementary grades and how the school is responding to these results.
Some data points are absent. The school does not have reported figures for English learner status or special education enrollment in the data available, so those population sizes cannot be characterized here. Participation rates on state assessments were also missing. No trend data across multiple years was available, which limits the ability to say whether these proficiency levels are improving, declining, or holding steady.
Because Bishop serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report and no high school course access or career pathway data to describe. The school's program offerings were not provided, so information about extracurriculars, enrichment, or specialized instruction is a gap here rather than something to guess at. We looked for district-level strategic priorities or recent changes in Lincoln Consolidated School District but found little of lasting impact in publicly reported material, so that context is left out.
The surrounding community shapes what life at Bishop looks like outside the classroom. Ypsilanti is a college town built around Eastern Michigan University, which dominates local employment and civic life. The city has the second-largest contiguous historic district in Michigan, with turn-of-the-century architecture in both its downtown and Depot Town areas. The West Cross Street Commercial District sits between the campus and Depot Town, offering dining and nightlife that cater to students and residents alike. The Huron River runs through the city, and the Border-to-Border Trail provides a regional recreational path. The city describes itself as having a small-town sense of community with convenient access to I-94, putting Ann Arbor and Detroit within reasonable reach.
Ypsilanti's economic trajectory has shifted from automotive manufacturing toward education and services. The former GM Powertrain facility closed years ago, and the city has been working on redevelopment efforts, including the Water Street Redevelopment Area near downtown and participation in MSHDA's Blueprints for Michigan's Downtowns program. Publicly reported details on new housing construction were limited.
For families considering the housing market around Bishop, the local ZIP code shows typical home values slightly above the Michigan state benchmark and modestly below the national figure. Rents are moderate, with rent-to-income affordability sitting in a reasonable range compared to many markets. Mortgage costs at current rates run higher than typical rents in the area, which may factor into decisions about buying versus renting for families relocating to the attendance zone.
Bishop Elementary presents a school with a diverse student community in a city rich with history and university influence, but one where academic results on state measures are currently below the middle of the pack for Washtenaw County. Families drawn to the area's character and affordability will want to ask direct questions about instruction, especially in math, and what the school is doing to move those numbers.
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