The top reported proficiency rate is 11% in English language arts. The lowest is 4% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Cb Sabbath 68 Preparatory Academy
CB Sabbath 68 Preparatory Academy is a regular public middle school serving grades six through eight in River Rouge, Michigan, part of the River Rouge School District of the City of. It sits on Frazier Street in a small, industrial Downriver suburb roughly seven miles southwest of downtown Detroit. The school draws from a community shaped by decades of heavy-industry restructuring along the Detroit River and River Rouge waterfront, and its enrollment reflects that local context. The student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller Hispanic presence and a handful of students identifying as white or multiracial. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which aligns with the economic conditions in the surrounding area. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not available, so those populations cannot be characterized here.
The school's academic results are a serious concern. Across every tested grade and subject, proficiency rates are extremely low. In math, no grade reached even a single-digit proficiency rate by a comfortable margin; sixth and eighth graders tested in the lowest reported range, and seventh grade was only marginally above it. English language arts results follow a similar pattern, with one bright spot in eighth grade where a modest portion of students reached proficiency. Science and social studies, tested only in eighth grade, also landed in the lowest reported bands. When positioned against districts in Wayne County, the school's overall proficiency sits in the bottom quartile. A parent considering this school may want to ask administrators what turnaround strategies, tutoring, or intervention programs are in place, because the current results suggest students are arriving and leaving well below grade-level expectations in core subjects. Participation rates were missing from the state data, so it is unclear whether testing engagement was a factor.
Because this is a middle school serving only grades six through eight, there is no graduation rate to report. That metric does not apply to this grade band. Similarly, no data on chronic absenteeism, course access, staffing ratios, or discipline was provided, so those dimensions of the school environment cannot be assessed. The school does not hold charter or magnet status.
River Rouge itself is a compact city with a waterfront and an industrial heritage anchored by Zug Island at the mouth of the River Rouge. Jefferson Avenue functions as the main commercial corridor, with the post office and local businesses along it. Belanger Park offers recreational space along the Detroit River and is home to the Mariners Memorial Light. The city has experienced substantial population decline from its industrial peak, and publicly reported sources note that restructuring of heavy industry and offshore job losses drove that contraction. The city was designated a Rising Tide community by former Governor Rick Snyder, bringing development resources, and Wayne County's economic development page reports high demand for quality family housing with families and investors showing interest in the area.
The housing market reflects the area's economics. Home values in the school's zip code are well below both the state and national benchmarks, making ownership relatively accessible for families with modest incomes. The county-level market shows a steady supply of active listings with moderate days on market, and listing prices have softened slightly year over year. Rent data was not available. For a family already living in River Rouge or considering moving there, housing affordability is unlikely to be a barrier, though the tradeoff is a community still working through the long aftermath of industrial decline.
No parent-relevant district changes were found in the available research, so there is nothing to report on recent strategic initiatives or program shifts from the River Rouge School District. A family evaluating this school should weigh the low academic outcomes heavily and look directly to the district for information about any improvement plans, supplemental services, or alternative school options within the district. The data available paints a picture of a middle school serving a high-need student population in an affordable, historically industrial community, with academic results that indicate substantial ground to cover.
See more original research from School Decision →