The top reported proficiency rate is 18% in English language arts. The lowest is 11% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Colonel Donald Mcmonagle Elementary School
Colonel Donald McMonagle Elementary School sits on Flint's north side, serving grades two through six as part of Westwood Heights Schools. It is a regular public school, and its enrollment is moderate for an elementary building of this grade span. The student body is predominantly Black, with small Hispanic, white, and multiracial populations. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic conditions in the surrounding community. Data on English learners and special education enrollment was not available in the sources reviewed.
State assessment results from the most recent M-STEP administration paint a sobering academic picture. In mathematics, proficiency rates are low across every tested grade, declining from third through sixth grade, with sixth-grade results falling into the lowest reporting range and no students reaching proficiency. English language arts follows a similar pattern: third, fourth, and fifth grade show modest proficiency rates, with fifth grade the strongest, but sixth grade again lands in the lowest range. Science proficiency for fifth graders is low, and social studies results for that same grade sit in the lowest reported band. When measured against districts in Genesee County, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. These are results a parent may want to discuss directly with school leadership, asking about intervention strategies, curriculum supports, and plans for improvement. The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate applies.
Flint itself is a mid-sized post-industrial city whose identity was shaped by its role as a General Motors manufacturing center. Decades of GM workforce reductions drove population decline and disinvestment, and the built environment today reflects that history: older residential neighborhoods, vacant lots from demolition activity, a downtown core along Saginaw Street with cultural venues like the Capitol Theatre and Sloan Museum, and commercial strips along major roads. The city's lead water crisis and subsequent infrastructure repairs are part of its recent story, and community revitalization efforts continue. Walkability is limited outside downtown, and the city is largely auto-dependent. The University of Michigan-Flint campus sits near downtown, but school buildings are spread across neighborhoods on separated sites.
The housing market around the school reflects Flint's economic conditions. Typical home values in the school's zip code are very low compared to both state and national benchmarks, and rents are similarly modest. At the county level, the housing market has shown recent increases in active and new listings, with median listing prices rising year over year and homes moving somewhat faster than a year ago. Affordability metrics suggest that homeownership costs relative to income are low by national standards, though mortgage rates remain elevated. For families considering the area, housing costs are unlikely to be a barrier, but the broader context of neighborhood disinvestment and limited amenities is part of the picture.
Westwood Heights Schools, the parent district, had no specific parent-relevant changes identified in recent publicly reported sources. The district has faced historical financial challenges, but no current strategic priorities, program expansions, or school-level initiatives were available in the data reviewed. Program offerings for this school, such as after-school activities, extracurriculars, or specialized academic supports, were not provided. Information on staffing ratios, chronic absenteeism, discipline, and course access was also absent from the available data.
What emerges is a school serving a high-need student population in a city working through long-term recovery, with academic results that indicate substantial challenges in core subjects. Families considering McMonagle Elementary would benefit from asking school and district leaders directly about instructional improvement plans, available student supports, and how the school is working to address the proficiency gaps visible in the state data.
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