Northwestern High School

Summary:

Northwestern High School is a public high school in Detroit, Michigan, serving 358 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Detroit Public Schools Community District, which is ranked 563 out of 610 districts in Michigan and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. The student population is predominantly African American, with over 96% of students identifying as such.

Despite the high per-student spending of $24,036, Northwestern High School has struggled with poor academic performance. The school's 4-year graduation rate is only 56.3%, significantly lower than nearby schools like Cass Technical High School (98.4%) and Detroit School of Arts (92.4%). Correspondingly, Northwestern High School has a high dropout rate of 22.5%, more than double the rates of schools like University Preparatory Academy PSAD High School (4.2%) and Detroit School of Arts (7.5%). The school also struggles with an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate of 82.8%, far exceeding the state average and the rates of nearby schools.

The challenges faced by Northwestern High School are likely exacerbated by the socioeconomic context of the school, with 88.27% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. This suggests that the school serves a predominantly low-income student population, which may contribute to the poor academic performance and high dropout rates. The stark contrast between Northwestern High School and nearby schools like Cass Technical High School and Detroit School of Arts highlights the persistent racial achievement gaps in the education system and the need for targeted interventions to address the systemic barriers faced by students of color in underperforming schools.

Detail:

Public 9-12

2200 W Grand Blvd
Detroit, MI 48208-1178

(313) 596-0700

District: Detroit Public Schools Community District

SchoolDigger Rank:
700^th of 743 Michigan High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $24,036

Feeder schools for Northwestern High School:

Elementary:	Burton International Academy
	SampsonWebber Leadership Academy
	Thirkell ElementaryMiddle School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.8

Number of students: 358

Racial breakdown:

African American:

96.9%

White:

1.4%

Hispanic:

1.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 88.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Northwestern High School ranks worse than 94.2% of high schools in Michigan. It also ranks 8^th among 15 ranked high schools in the Detroit Public Schools Community District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 6.28. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Northwestern High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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 (96.9%), White (1.4%), Hispanic (1.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 88.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northwestern High School is 13.8, which is the 12^th best among 15 high schools in the Detroit Public Schools Community District. (See more...)

Compare Northwestern High School employs 25.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northwestern High School is $24,036, which is the 7^th highest among 15 high schools in the Detroit Public Schools Community District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Northwestern High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Northwestern High School 700^th of 743 Michigan public high schools. (See Northwestern High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

African American students:

Detroit Public Schools Community District:

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

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Rank History for Northwestern High School

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Rank History for all students at Northwestern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	6.28	700^th	743	5.8%

See the entire list of Michigan High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Northwestern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	22.82	248^th	315	21.3%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Northwestern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	4.62	717^th	755	5.0%
2024	9.56	605^th	654	7.5%

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

Rank History for Female students at Northwestern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	1.82	708^th	710	0.3%

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

Rank History for Male students at Northwestern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	3.39	686^th	707	3.0%

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

Rank History for African American students at Northwestern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	13.03	225^th	254	11.4%
2024	20.01	157^th	188	16.5%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High 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 Northwestern High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2017	2	574	0	1	0	0	577
2018	2	479	0	1	0	0	482
2019	2	423	1	1	0	2	429
2020	2	421	0	2	0	0	425
2021	2	430	0	2	0	0	434
2022	0	405	0	3	0	1	409
2023	5	347	0	4	1	1	358

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 Northwestern High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	577	34.0	16.9	83
2018	482	38.0	12.6	90.2
2019	429	31.5	13.6	91.6
2020	425	29.0	14.6	88.2
2021	434	28.0	15.5	89.6
2022	409	25.0	16.3	88.8
2023	358	25.9	13.8	88.3

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 Northwestern High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	577	34.0	16.9	83
2018	482	38.0	12.6	90.2
2019	429	31.5	13.6	91.6
2020	425	29.0	14.6	88.2
2021	434	28.0	15.5	89.6
2022	409	25.0	16.3	88.8
2023	358	25.9	13.8	88.3

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 Northwestern High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$4,113 (22.3%)	$14,319 (77.7%)	$18,432
2020	$4,126 (22.3%)	$14,366 (77.7%)	$18,491
2021	$2,756 (13.2%)	$18,129 (86.8%)	$20,885
2022	$6,627 (29.2%)	$16,083 (70.8%)	$22,711
2023	$6,908 (28.7%)	$17,127 (71.3%)	$24,036

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Northwestern High School

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.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	429	358	16.6%
African American	423	347	18%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	1	4	300%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	2	5	150%
Two or More Races	2	1	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	91.6%	88.3%	3.3%

Schools Near Northwestern High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				PSAT English Language Arts (2024)	PSAT Mathematics (2024)	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Science 11th 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
Northwestern High School	Public	9-12	2200 W Grand Blvd	Detroit	48208	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 596-0700	358	26	13.8	88.3%	5 (1.4%)	347 (96.9%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	6.3	700^th of 743 public high schools	5.8%					(n/a)			10.3						7.7		15.8	$24,036	$6,908	$17,127
Detroit Lions Academy	Public	6-12	2001 W Warren Ave	Detroit	48208	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 852-9677	238	20	12.0	92.0%	2 (0.8%)	234 (98.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)								(n/a)	15.2				13.5							$26,468	$9,172	$17,296
Frederick Douglass Academy for Young Men	Public	9-12	9026 Woodward Ave	Detroit	48202	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 596-3555	76	9	8.2	68.4%	0 (0.0%)	75 (98.7%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)												$44,593	$14,910	$29,683
Legacy Academy	Public	6-12	2750 Selden St	Detroit	48208	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 578-7235	21	8	2.5	95.2%	0 (0.0%)	21 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)												$109,418	$20,138	$89,280
University Preparatory Academy PSAD High School	Public, Magnet, Charter	9-12	600 Antoinette St	Detroit	48202	Wayne County	University Preparatory Academy (PSAD)	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	(313) 874-4340	571	41	14.0	77.6%	4 (0.7%)	561 (98.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.9%)	14.4	634^th of 743 public high schools	14.7%		6.8	689^th of 735 public high schools	6.3%	55			25.2						14.8		21.5	$14,083	$2,833	$11,250
University Preparatory Art Design MiddleHigh	Public, Charter	6-12	485 W Milwaukee St	Detroit	48202	Wayne County	University Preparatory Art & Design	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 481-4000	843	51	16.6	78.6%	4 (0.5%)	829 (98.3%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.7%)	11.9	655^th of 743 public high schools	11.8%		7.1	685^th of 735 public high schools	6.8%	30	37.6	5.1	25.0	10.5	15.5	2.7	3.1	20.3	18.2	6.8	11.7	$12,325	$2,788	$9,537
Covenant High School Central	Public, Charter	9-12	2959 Martin Luther King Jr Bl	Detroit	48208	Wayne County	Covenant Schools Detroit	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 899-6900	186	7	25.3	96.2%	3 (1.6%)	182 (97.8%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)												$15,204	$3,281	$11,923
Central High School	Public	9-12	2425 Tuxedo St	Detroit	48206	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 252-3000	353	20	17.4	89.2%	1 (0.3%)	347 (98.3%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3.3	737^th of 743 public high schools	0.8%					(n/a)			10.3						6.0		4.6	$20,759	$6,216	$14,543
Voyageur College Prep	Public, Charter	9-12	4366 Military St	Detroit	48210	Wayne County	Voyageur Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 361-4180	474	22	21.5	96.2%	11 (2.3%)	354 (74.7%)	104 (21.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.8%)	4.4	725^th of 743 public high schools	2.4%		8	680^th of 735 public high schools	7.5%	45			13.4						7.0		7.8	$4,332	$525	$3,807
Detroit School of Arts	Public	9-12	123 Selden St	Detroit	48201	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 494-6000	432	35	12.4	72.7%	9 (2.1%)	405 (93.8%)	7 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (1.4%)	23.2	573^rd of 743 public high schools	22.9%		16.8	616^th of 735 public high schools	16.2%	43			44.0						11.0		19.8	$24,789	$6,296	$18,493

Frequently Asked Questions about Northwestern High School

Is Northwestern High School a good school?

Northwestern High School ranks in the bottom 5.8% of Michigan high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Northwestern High School?

Students at Northwestern High School are 97% African American, 1% White, 1% Hispanic.

How many students attend Northwestern High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 358 students attended Northwestern High School.

What schools feed into Northwestern High School?

Northwestern High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Burton International Academy
Elementary : SampsonWebber Leadership Academy
Elementary : Thirkell ElementaryMiddle School

What district is Northwestern High School in?

Detroit Public Schools Community District

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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.