The top reported proficiency rate is 52% in English language arts. The lowest is 11% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hayes Elementary School
Hayes Elementary School sits in the northern part of Westland, a suburban city roughly eighteen miles west of downtown Detroit. It is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fourth grade, part of the Livonia Public Schools district, which covers parts of Westland as well as neighboring Livonia. The school draws from a community that grew as a bedroom suburb for Detroit-area factory workers, with postwar subdivisions shaping much of the housing stock. Today Westland is primarily residential, with commercial life anchored by the Westland Shopping Center mall and strip retail corridors rather than a walkable downtown. Hines Park runs through the city's northern edge, offering bike paths and green space that families in this area can access.
The school's enrollment is moderate for an elementary building, with fairly even distribution across the five grade levels. About half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller Black, Hispanic, multiracial, Asian, and American Indian populations. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not reported, so those population sizes are not clear from available sources.
On Michigan's M-STEP assessment, Hayes shows a pattern worth noting. Fourth grade results are stronger than third grade in both subjects. In English language arts, fourth graders reach a proficiency rate that is solidly above half, and in math, fourth grade is also above the midpoint. Third grade proficiency in both subjects sits below half, which suggests younger students are still building toward stronger outcomes as they progress. Across tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index lands in the top quartile among Wayne County districts, which is a meaningful standing given the county's size and diversity.
Science proficiency was last reported for this school several years ago and reflected a low result, but that figure is dated enough that it should not be read as a current indicator. A parent interested in current science outcomes may want to ask the school directly, since no recent science data was available.
No graduation rate, chronic absenteeism, or discipline data was provided, which is expected for an elementary school that does not administer graduation measures. The absence of absenteeism figures is a gap a parent might want to fill by asking the school, since attendance patterns can matter even in early grades.
Information on specific programs, staffing ratios, course access, and Title I status was not available in the data provided. The school's website through Livonia Public Schools would be the next stop for families wanting detail on enrichment offerings, intervention supports, or before- and after-school care.
The surrounding housing market is relatively affordable compared with state and national benchmarks. Home values in the school's zip code sit well below the Michigan average and considerably below national figures, and rents are similarly modest. The Wayne County market broadly has been seeing more active listings and a cooling of demand, which may give families room to navigate. Homes in this area tend to sell within a moderate window. The city's population has been gradually declining, and the most visible development project nearby is the planned redevelopment of the former Eloise psychiatric hospital site into a commercial center and hotel.
At the district level, Livonia Public Schools recently opened a dedicated early childhood center in fall 2024, which expands preschool access for families in the district, including those in the Westland portion. For families with younger children approaching kindergarten, that resource sits within the same system Hayes feeds into.
Hayes fits a family looking for an established suburban elementary school with solid upper-grade proficiency results, an affordable housing backdrop, and a community oriented around neighborhoods and parks rather than a dense urban core. The third grade numbers and the lack of recent science data are the areas where a parent would benefit from asking more questions directly.
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