Summary:
The city of Inkster, Michigan is home to 9 schools serving students from elementary through high school, including 4 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 3 high schools, and 1 alternative school. The data reveals significant disparities in academic performance and challenges related to poverty, chronic absenteeism, and funding inequities across the schools in this district.
While Inkster Preparatory Academy, a public charter elementary/middle school, has relatively higher test scores compared to other schools in the area, it still ranks in the bottom 10% of Michigan elementary schools and has a very high chronic absenteeism rate of 78.7%. In contrast, American International Academy High School/Middle School, a public charter serving grades 7-12, has the highest graduation rate (83.7%) and lowest dropout rate (16.2%) among the high schools. However, the majority of schools in Inkster struggle with extremely low proficiency rates on standardized tests, with 3rd grade ELA proficiency ranging from just 6.8% to 22.2% compared to the Michigan average of 39.6%.
Across the district, schools face significant challenges related to poverty and economic disadvantage, with most having very high rates of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 40% to 99.24%. This is likely a major factor contributing to the poor academic performance seen in many of the Inkster schools. Additionally, the wide range in spending per student, from $3,147 to $67,535, raises concerns about potential funding inequities that may be exacerbating these disparities in student outcomes.
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