Is Joy Preparatory Academy a good school?

Joy Preparatory Academy ranks 1082 nd of 1486 Michigan alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Joy Preparatory Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 179 students attended Joy Preparatory Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Joy Preparatory Academy?

Students at Joy Preparatory Academy are 99% African American.

Joy Preparatory Academy

Summary:

Joy Preparatory Academy is an alternative public charter school located in Detroit, Michigan, serving 179 students in grades PK-12. The school has a unique student population, with 98.88% of its students being African American.

Despite the school's high per-student spending of $18,781, Joy Preparatory Academy faces significant challenges. The school has experienced high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 16.4% in 2018-2019 to 55.2% in 2021-2022, which is significantly higher than the state average and the rates of nearby schools like Caniff Liberty Academy (54.9%) and DPSCD Virtual School (25.4%). Additionally, the school's academic performance in English Language Arts and Math proficiency rates consistently lags behind state averages and nearby schools, such as Caniff Liberty Academy and DPSCD Virtual School.

The school's high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 99.44% to 100% in recent years, is significantly higher than the rates at nearby schools like Caniff Liberty Academy (100%) and DPSCD Virtual School (77.87%). This highlights the unique socioeconomic challenges faced by the school's student population and the need to ensure equitable educational opportunities. Addressing the root causes of chronic absenteeism and improving resource allocation and efficiency could be crucial for improving the school's outcomes and providing a high-quality education for its students.

Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative PK, KG-12

15055 Dexter Ave
Detroit, MI 48238-2124

(313) 340-0023

District: Joy Preparatory Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
1082^nd of 1,486 Michigan Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,781

Student/teacher ratio: 11.6

Number of students: 179

Racial breakdown:

African American:

98.9%

Hispanic:

0.6%

American Indian:

0.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.4%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Joy Preparatory Academy to nearby alternative schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Joy Preparatory Academy ranks worse than 72.8% of elementary schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25.87. (See more...)

Compare Details Joy Preparatory Academy is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2018 the calculated Average Standard Score was 6.83. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (98.9%), American Indian (0.6%), Hispanic (0.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Joy Preparatory Academy is 11.6. (See more...)

Compare Joy Preparatory Academy employs 15.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Joy Preparatory Academy is $18,781.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Joy Preparatory Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Joy Preparatory Academy 1082^nd of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Joy Preparatory Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

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Rank History for Joy Preparatory Academy

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	2.76	1530^th	1545	1.0%
2007	5.40	1535^th	1565	1.9%
2008	3.01	1560^th	1577	1.1%
2009	5.77	1545^th	1589	2.8%
2010	12.29	1469^th	1552	5.3%
2011	6.68	1506^th	1552	3.0%
2012	11.48	1460^th	1566	6.8%
2013	10.71	1442^nd	1563	7.7%
2014	7.05	1461^st	1533	4.7%
2015	12.77	1407^th	1580	10.9%
2016	6.29	1488^th	1548	3.9%
2017	3.50	1456^th	1466	0.7%
2018	7.12	1420^th	1448	1.9%
2023	36.39	900^th	1470	38.8%
2024	25.87	1082^nd	1486	27.2%

See the entire list of Michigan Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	9.53	1341^st	1397	4.0%
2023	53.80	547^th	1350	59.5%
2024	37.17	866^th	1381	37.3%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	7.63	1390^th	1443	3.7%
2024	31.09	925^th	1342	31.1%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	10.43	1325^th	1446	8.4%
2024	34.19	870^th	1347	35.4%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	24.31	398^th	475	16.2%
2023	73.24	51^st	321	84.1%
2024	52.54	131^st	348	62.4%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Alternative Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Joy Preparatory Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	8.16	765^th	806	5.1%
2007	8.31	775^th	823	5.8%
2008	8.45	787^th	839	6.2%
2009	11.57	791^st	847	6.6%
2010	7.23	811^th	851	4.7%
2011	8.65	812^th	858	5.4%
2012	12.82	822^nd	900	8.7%
2013	12.99	819^th	919	10.9%
2014	10.75	829^th	921	10.0%
2015	15.75	769^th	919	16.3%
2016	31.34	624^th	894	30.2%
2017	14.36	711^th	821	13.4%
2018	6.83	829^th	838	1.1%

See the entire list of Michigan Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	8.52	787^th	815	3.4%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	6.81	766^th	794	3.5%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	7.87	771^st	797	3.3%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	18.74	334^th	366	8.7%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Alternative Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Joy Preparatory Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2004	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0
2005	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0
2006	0	299	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	299
2007	0	292	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	292
2008	n/a	274	1	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	275
2009	1	293	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	294
2010	3	309	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	312
2011	3	285	0	0	0	0	0	288
2012	1	235	1	0	0	0	0	237
2013	4	250	0	0	0	0	0	254
2014	6	196	0	0	0	0	3	205
2015	2	182	1	0	0	0	0	185
2016	2	135	0	0	0	0	0	137
2017	2	346	1	0	0	0	0	349
2018	0	355	0	0	0	0	1	356
2019	0	355	0	0	0	0	1	356
2020	0	291	0	1	1	0	0	293
2021	0	212	0	2	1	0	0	215
2022	0	210	0	2	1	0	0	213
2023	0	177	0	1	1	0	0	179

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Joy Preparatory Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	0	2.5	0.0	n/a
2005	0	10.0	0.0	n/a
2006	299	13.0	23.0	86.6
2007	292	12.3	23.7	78.4
2008	275	15.6	17.6	73.8
2009	294	16.6	17.7	77.2
2010	312	13.5	23.0	92.6
2011	288	12.6	22.8	92
2012	237	14.0	16.9	93.7
2013	254	13.9	18.2	96.5
2014	205	12.6	16.2	94.6
2015	185	10.0	18.5	88.1
2016	137	8.0	17.1	78.1
2017	349	14.2	24.5	89.7
2018	356	12.0	29.6	96.6
2019	356	22.3	15.9	99.7
2020	293	23.3	12.5	100
2021	215	18.3	11.7	100
2022	213	16.3	13.0	100
2023	179	15.4	11.6	99.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Joy Preparatory Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	0	2.5	0.0	n/a
2005	0	10.0	0.0	n/a
2006	299	13.0	23.0	86.6
2007	292	12.3	23.7	78.4
2008	275	15.6	17.6	73.8
2009	294	16.6	17.7	77.2
2010	312	13.5	23.0	92.6
2011	288	12.6	22.8	92
2012	237	14.0	16.9	93.7
2013	254	13.9	18.2	96.5
2014	205	12.6	16.2	94.6
2015	185	10.0	18.5	88.1
2016	137	8.0	17.1	78.1
2017	349	14.2	24.5	89.7
2018	356	12.0	29.6	96.6
2019	356	22.3	15.9	99.7
2020	293	23.3	12.5	100
2021	215	18.3	11.7	100
2022	213	16.3	13.0	100
2023	179	15.4	11.6	99.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Joy Preparatory Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,559 (14.9%)	$8,904 (85.1%)	$10,463
2020	$2,682 (20.6%)	$10,348 (79.4%)	$13,030
2021	$3,664 (24.9%)	$11,071 (75.1%)	$14,735
2022	$6,760 (40.5%)	$9,951 (59.5%)	$16,711
2023	$6,841 (36.4%)	$11,940 (63.6%)	$18,781

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Joy Preparatory Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Joy Preparatory Academy)	15	26.3	11.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Joy Preparatory Academy)	15	26.3	11.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.1	40.9	4.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Joy Preparatory Academy)	14.7	46.2	31.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Joy Preparatory Academy)	14.7	46.2	31.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.8	44.3	1.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Joy Preparatory Academy)	31	28.6	2.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Joy Preparatory Academy)	31	28.6	2.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	61.9	59.7	2.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	356	179	49.7%
African American	355	177	50.1%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	0	1
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	0	0
Two or More Races	1	0	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	99.7%	99.4%	0.3%

Schools Near Joy Preparatory Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				PSAT English Language Arts (2024)	PSAT Mathematics (2024)	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	M-Step English Language Arts (2024)					M-Step Math (2024)					M-Step Science (2024)			M-Step Social Studies (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Science 11th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Joy Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	15055 Dexter Ave	Detroit	48238	Wayne County	Joy Preparatory Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 340-0023	179	15	11.6	99.4%	0 (0.0%)	177 (98.9%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)					14.8	25.0	25.0	45.0		29.6	25.0		15.0								$18,781	$6,841	$11,941
The School at Marygrove	Public, Alternative	K-12	8425 W McNichols Rd	Detroit	48221	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 335-1331	482	29	16.6	66.6%	3 (0.6%)	474 (98.3%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)								(n/a)			45.6	5.9	37.5					59.4							34.8			37.3	$19,574	$6,677	$12,897
David Ellis Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	18977 Schaefer Hwy	Detroit	48235	Wayne County	David Ellis Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 450-0642	200	9	23.5	89.5%	0 (0.0%)	200 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	81.0	33.3			42.1	21.7	45.8	17.4	43.5	15.8	13.0			21.7	25.0	28.6					$18,843	$6,668	$12,175
University Yes Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	14717 Curtis St	Detroit	48235	Wayne County	University Yes Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 270-2556	365	9	39.2	94.8%	2 (0.5%)	359 (98.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)								(n/a)	38.0				12.5	21.7	23.8	16.0	12.5	25.0	8.7				9.5	8.0					$14,112	$3,920	$10,192
DPSCD Virtual School	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	9026 Woodward Ave	Detroit	48202	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	Yes	No	(313) 873-6897	348	34	10.3	77.9%	7 (2.0%)	315 (90.5%)	23 (6.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)								(n/a)	38.5		25.0					31.8		25.0											$25,854	$18,609	$7,245
Caniff Liberty Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-9	2650 Caniff St	Hamtramck	48212	Wayne County	Caniff Liberty Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(248) 327-7673	501	23	22.2	100.0%	259 (51.7%)	67 (13.4%)	0 (0.0%)	173 (34.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)								(n/a)	42.0	13.7			18.0	26.0	33.3	25.5	29.1	31.5	35.2	32.0	34.5	35.7	30.0	17.6		20.0	7.8		$13,497	$3,685	$9,812
Frontier International Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	13200 Conant St	Detroit	48212	Wayne County	Frontier International Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 462-6300	648	25	26.4	99.8%	471 (72.7%)	40 (6.2%)	1 (0.2%)	133 (20.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)								(n/a)			24.6	7.9		20.0	22.2			23.1	26.7	14.8			11.1		13.2			16.7	$12,880	$5,103	$7,777
Advantage Alternative Program	Public, Alternative	K-12	1620 E Elza Ave	Hazel Park	48030	Oakland County	Hazel Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 658-5280	157	8	19.5	87.3%	41 (26.1%)	109 (69.4%)	4 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.3%)								(n/a)																					$13,012	$1,620	$11,392
Michigan Virtual Charter Academy	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1620 E Elza Ave	Hazel Park	48030	Oakland County	Michigan Virtual Charter Academy	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	(616) 309-1600	2,895	160	18.0	77.9%	1,508 (52.1%)	798 (27.6%)	271 (9.4%)	46 (1.6%)	19 (0.7%)	1 (0.0%)	252 (8.7%)								(n/a)	50.4	8.6	41.3	9.4	10.3	14.7	14.7	17.0	20.9	7.3	5.9	7.6	6.0	7.0	14.2	18.4	34.1	2.4	13.0	35.0	$10,506	$1,718	$8,788
Detroit International Academy for Young Women	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	5161 Charles St	Detroit	48212	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 873-3050	225	17	13.2	88.9%	58 (25.8%)	123 (54.7%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (18.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	1 (0.4%)								(n/a)	44.0		38.1		25.0			25.0	21.1	18.8						12.0	23.8			14.3	$24,726	$9,133	$15,593

Joy Preparatory Academy

Joy Preparatory Academy:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

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Rank History for Joy Preparatory Academy

Rank History for all elementary school students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Rank History for Joy Preparatory Academy

Rank History for all middle school students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Rank History for middle school Female students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Rank History for middle school Male students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Rank History for middle school African American students at Joy Preparatory Academy

Enrollment information for Joy Preparatory Academy

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Joy Preparatory Academy

Student/Teacher Ratio Joy Preparatory Academy

Per Pupil Expenditures for Joy Preparatory Academy

Impact of COVID-19 on Joy Preparatory Academy

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Joy Preparatory Academy

Frequently Asked Questions about Joy Preparatory Academy

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