The top reported proficiency rate is 8% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Erickson Elementary
Erickson Elementary sits on Levona Street in Ypsilanti, serving first through sixth graders as part of Ypsilanti Community Schools. It is a regular public school with an enrollment on the smaller side for an elementary building, and the vast majority of its students, well over four in five, qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Black, with smaller groups identifying as two or more races, white, and Hispanic. The school lists grade six in its served grades, though current enrollment data shows no students in that grade. IEP and English-learner counts were not reported in the data we reviewed.
On state assessments, the most recent M-STEP results show proficiency rates that are low across every tested subject and grade. In third-grade math, only a handful of students reached proficiency, and the same was true for third-grade and fifth-grade English language arts. In fourth grade, the reported proficient count in both math and ELA was zero, with the state releasing only a range rather than a precise figure. Fifth-grade math, science, and social studies followed a similar pattern, with very few or no students meeting the proficiency bar. Average scale scores are reported for each tested grade, but no participation rates were available, and no multi-year trend data was provided, so it is not possible to say from this data whether results are improving, holding steady, or declining over time. Placed against other districts in Washtenaw County, Erickson's overall proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile. The county's district median proficiency is several times higher, and the gap between Erickson and the top of the county is wide. These are sobering numbers, and a parent considering this school may want to ask the administration directly what improvement strategies are in place and how progress is being tracked.
Because Erickson serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate, and that metric does not apply here. Chronic absenteeism data was not available for this school. We also looked for discipline reports, course access information, staffing ratios, and attendance figures, and none were present in the data provided. Title I status was not reported, though the high free-or-reduced-price lunch rate would typically make a school eligible. Without these pieces, it is hard to build a full picture of the school environment beyond what the test results and demographics show.
Ypsilanti itself is a college town built around Eastern Michigan University, with the campus woven into the city's commercial and civic life rather than set apart. The city has two historic commercial districts, downtown and Depot Town, both lined with turn-of-the-century buildings, and the West Cross Street district near campus adds student-oriented dining and nightlife. The Huron River and the Border-to-Border Trail run through town, and the city holds Michigan's second-largest contiguous historic district. Ypsilanti's economy has shifted away from automotive manufacturing, with the former GM Powertrain plant now closed, toward education and services anchored by the university. A Water Street Redevelopment Area near downtown and participation in the state's Blueprints for Michigan's Downtowns program point to ongoing revitalization efforts. The city sits roughly thirty miles west of Detroit with interstate access and proximity to Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
Housing in the school's zip code is relatively affordable compared with both state and national benchmarks. Home values sit below the Michigan statewide figure and well below the national figure, and rents are similarly modest. Estimated monthly mortgage costs run higher than typical rents, which may make renting the more accessible option for families moving into the area. Home values have crept up slightly over the past year, and rents have risen a bit faster, but both remain in a range that is manageable relative to the area's median household income.
The district brief for Ypsilanti Community Schools did not surface specific parent-relevant changes from recent years, so there is little to report on new programs, boundary shifts, or facility updates. A family evaluating Erickson will want to visit the school, talk with staff about the academic plan, and ask how the building supports students given the current proficiency levels. The community around it offers a distinctive small-city, college-town setting with historic character and recreational access, but the academic data as it stands points to a school with substantial ground to cover.
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