The top reported proficiency rate is 31% in Math. The lowest is 7% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Tyler Road Elementary School
Tyler Road Elementary School sits in Belleville, a small lakefront city in Wayne County, part of the Van Buren Public Schools district. The school serves kindergarten through fourth grade on a regular public school model, with an enrollment typical for an elementary building of its grade band. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is majority Black, with a sizable white enrollment, a smaller group of students identifying as two or more races, and small Asian and Hispanic populations.
State testing data comes from Michigan's M-STEP assessment, covering third and fourth grades in math and English language arts for the most recent school year. In math, roughly a quarter of third graders and just over a third of fourth graders reached proficiency or above. In ELA, about a fifth of third graders and just under a third of fourth graders did so. Proficiency was higher in fourth grade than third in both subjects, which may reflect a year of additional instruction, though the data does not allow a clean year-over-year comparison. A science result exists only for fourth grade from an older testing cycle and shows very few students reaching proficiency; that figure is dated and may not reflect current performance. Across the tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index sits just above the midpoint relative to districts in Wayne County, a set of over a hundred districts. The school does not have a graduation rate or chronic absenteeism figure, which is expected given that it serves only elementary grades.
No data was available for special education enrollment or English learner counts, so those populations cannot be characterized here. Information on staffing, course access, discipline, attendance, and Title I status was also not provided, leaving gaps that a parent may want to look into directly with the school or district.
The surrounding community of Belleville is a small, lakeside city completely surrounded by Van Buren Township, about a half-hour southwest of Detroit and roughly twenty minutes southeast of Ann Arbor. Belleville Lake, the largest inland lake in Wayne County, anchors the city and shapes its identity. The traditional downtown clusters along the southern shore, with restaurants, shops, and service businesses along the original Main, Liberty, and High Street thoroughfares. The community holds seasonal events throughout the year, including a summer concert series, a food festival, and winter festivities. The city is car-dependent despite its small footprint, with most residents commuting by car and easy access to several interstate highways.
Belleville's population has been edging downward in recent years, though the city recently completed a full update of its master plan and is actively promoting commercial and industrial development, including a planned industrial park along the railroad corridor. Housing in the school's zip code carries values below both the state and national benchmarks, with modest year-over-year appreciation. Rents are similarly below state levels. Wayne County's broader housing market shows a large inventory of active listings, with median listing prices well below national figures and a moderate pace of sales. The affordability picture suggests a relatively accessible entry point for families looking to buy or rent near the school.
One major development directly affects this school. In spring 2022, voters in Van Buren Public Schools approved a bond proposal funding district-wide facility improvements, including a new building to replace the aging Tyler Elementary. Construction broke ground in late 2023, and the replacement school is expected to open in fall 2025. The bond also covers safety upgrades, roofing and HVAC repairs, technology, and athletic facility work at Belleville High School. A state grant supplements the Tyler Elementary project. This is a lasting, parent-relevant change because it touches property taxes, school facilities, and the day-to-day learning environment.
For a family considering Tyler Road Elementary, the picture is one of a small lakeside community school with a diverse student body and moderate academic results that sit just above the middle of the Wayne County pack. The incoming building replacement is a concrete improvement on the horizon. The proficiency numbers, while not strong in absolute terms, show some upward movement between third and fourth grade. Parents weighing this school would benefit from asking the district about support services, staffing ratios, and how the new facility will be used once it opens.
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