Academy for Business and Technology

The Academy for Business and Technology district in Michigan operates two schools - Academy for Business and Technology High School and Academy for Business and Technology Elementary. Both schools serve predominantly African American and Hispanic student populations and are underperforming compared to state averages across a range of academic metrics.

The high school has a student population that is 91.86% African American, 3.1% Hispanic, and 3.49% White, while the elementary school is 72.57% African American, 16.88% Hispanic, and 4.64% White. Both schools perform significantly below the state average on standardized assessments, with the high school scoring 18.8% proficient or better in 7th grade English Language Arts compared to the state average of 37.9%, and the elementary school scoring 13.5% proficient or better in 3rd grade Math compared to the state average of 43.4%. Additionally, the high school has a concerning 79.4% four-year graduation rate and a 12.8% dropout rate.

Chronic absenteeism is a major issue for both schools, with the high school at 55.6% and the elementary school at 62.3%. While the per-student spending and student-teacher ratios appear reasonable, the lack of academic success suggests that the resources may not be effectively utilized or targeted to the specific needs of the student population. Addressing the root causes of the low performance, such as chronic absenteeism, equity issues, and effective resource allocation, should be the top priorities for the Academy for Business and Technology district's leadership.