Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

Summary:

Palmer Park Preparatory Academy is an elementary school in Detroit, Michigan, serving 425 students in grades PK-8 as part of the Detroit Public Schools Community District. The school faces significant academic and socioeconomic challenges, with consistently low test scores, high chronic absenteeism, and a student population that is 89.41% African American and 72.94% eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

Compared to the state and district averages, Palmer Park Preparatory Academy struggles academically, with only 37.9% of 3rd-graders proficient in English Language Arts, compared to 39.6% statewide and 11.7% in the district. The school's chronic absenteeism rates have ranged from 27.9% to 73.1%, far exceeding the state and district averages. While the school's per-student spending has increased over the years, reaching $21,725 in 2022-2023, this additional funding has not yet translated into significant improvements in academic outcomes.

When examining nearby schools in the same district, such as Thurgood Marshall Elementary School and Greenfield Union ElementaryMiddle School, it becomes clear that the academic performance challenges are not unique to Palmer Park Preparatory Academy. These surrounding schools also struggle with low test scores and high chronic absenteeism, suggesting that the issues facing the school are deeply rooted and require a comprehensive, targeted approach to address the needs of the student population and the broader community.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

 3901 Margareta St
       Detroit, MI  48221-2260


(313) 494-7300

District: Detroit Public Schools Community District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1184th of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $21,725 Help


Students who attend Palmer Park Preparatory Academy usually attend:

High:    Mumford High School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.1 Help
Number of students:  425

Racial breakdown:

African American:
89.4%
White:
7.5%
Two or more races:
1.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  72.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Palmer Park Preparatory Academy ranks worse than 79.7% of elementary schools in Michigan. It also ranks 8th among 64 ranked elementary schools in the Detroit Public Schools Community District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.78. (See more...)
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Compare Details Palmer Park Preparatory Academy ranks worse than 94.2% of middle schools in Michigan. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 8.4. (See more...)
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Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (89.4%), White (7.5%), two or more races (1.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 72.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy is 14.1, which is the 12th best among 64 elementary schools in the Detroit Public Schools Community District. (See more...)
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Compare Palmer Park Preparatory Academy employs 30 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy is $21,725, which is the 25th highest among 64 elementary schools in the Detroit Public Schools Community District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Palmer Park Preparatory Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Palmer Park Preparatory Academy 1184th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Palmer Park 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:

SchoolDigger ranks Palmer Park Preparatory Academy 845th of 897 Michigan public middle schools. (See Palmer Park Preparatory Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:


Detroit Public Schools Community District:

SchoolDigger ranks Detroit Public Schools Community District 563rd of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 12.26 1183rd 1344 12.0%
2023 14.91 1238th 1470 15.8%
2024 18.78 1184th 1486 20.3%
See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 8.49 1363rd 1397 2.4%
2023 16.80 1150th 1350 14.8%
2024 18.09 1178th 1381 14.7%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.65 1408th 1443 2.4%
2023 16.78 1118th 1321 15.4%
2024 20.04 1090th 1342 18.8%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 7.17 1399th 1446 3.3%
2023 15.11 1142nd 1334 14.4%
2024 18.86 1100th 1347 18.3%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.40 417th 475 12.2%
2022 37.53 91st 158 42.4%
2023 32.43 201st 321 37.4%
2024 34.73 208th 348 40.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for African American Students!

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

Rank History for Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 4.96 873rd 883 1.1%
2024 8.40 845th 897 5.8%
See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 8.21 791st 815 2.9%
2023 5.43 816th 825 1.1%
2024 8.76 805th 836 3.7%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.03 775th 794 2.4%
2024 7.87 743rd 771 3.6%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.87 782nd 797 1.9%
2023 4.55 767th 776 1.2%
2024 11.21 719th 786 8.5%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.15 340th 366 7.1%
2023 12.23 300th 310 3.2%
2024 21.82 246th 300 18.0%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary 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.

Palmer Park Preparatory Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 








Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2017 0 391 0 1 0 0 0 0 392
2018 2 432 0 1 0 0 2 0 437
2019 3 428 1 1 1 0 0 0 434
2020 14 439 0 3 1 0 0 0 457
2021 15 435 1 3 2 0 7 0 463
2022 22 379 2 2 2 1 5 0 413
2023 32 380 2 1 2 1 7 0 425

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 Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2017 392 21.0 18.6 80.9
2018 437 21.2 20.6 88.8
2019 434 26.5 16.3 85.7
2020 457 28.0 16.3 75.9
2021 463 28.5 16.2 81.2
2022 413 28.5 14.4 76
2023 425 30.0 14.1 72.9

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 Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2017 392 21.0 18.6 80.9
2018 437 21.2 20.6 88.8
2019 434 26.5 16.3 85.7
2020 457 28.0 16.3 75.9
2021 463 28.5 16.2 81.2
2022 413 28.5 14.4 76
2023 425 30.0 14.1 72.9

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 Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $2,284 (16.0%) $11,972 (84.0%) $14,255
2020 $4,980 (30.9%) $11,118 (69.1%) $16,098
2021 $2,472 (14.2%) $14,939 (85.8%) $17,410
2022 $7,931 (34.4%) $15,154 (65.6%) $23,085
2023 $6,335 (29.2%) $15,390 (70.8%) $21,725

Data source: Michigan Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Palmer Park 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 (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (Palmer Park Preparatory Academy)11.126.4
 15.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Detroit Public Schools Community District)12.714.8
 2.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.844.3
 1.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Palmer Park Preparatory Academy)13.69.8
 3.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Detroit Public Schools Community District)11.512.1
 0.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)41.737.5
 4.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Palmer Park Preparatory Academy)15.410
 5.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Detroit Public Schools Community District)24.524
 0.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)61.959.7
 2.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students434425
 2.1%
African American428380
 11.2%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian12
 100%
Hispanic11
Pacific Islander01
White332
 966.7%
Two or More Races07
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients85.7%72.9%
 12.8%


Schools Near Palmer Park Preparatory Academy









Frequently Asked Questions about Palmer Park Preparatory Academy

Palmer Park Preparatory Academy ranks in the bottom 20.3% of Michigan elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 425 students attended Palmer Park Preparatory Academy.

Students who attend Palmer Park Preparatory Academy usually go on to attend:

High : Mumford High School

Students at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy are 89% African American, 8% White, 2% Two or more races.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Michigan Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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