Is Ronald Brown Academy a good school?

Ronald Brown Academy ranks in the bottom 0.1% of Michigan elementary schools.

How many students attend Ronald Brown Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 703 students attended Ronald Brown Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Ronald Brown Academy?

Students at Ronald Brown Academy are 98% African American.

What schools do graduates of Ronald Brown Academy attend?

Students who attend Ronald Brown Academy usually go on to attend: High : East English Village Preparatory Academy at Finney

Ronald Brown Academy

Summary:

Ronald Brown Academy is an elementary school serving grades PK-8 in the Detroit Public Schools Community District, with 703 students, the majority of whom are African American.

Despite its large student population, Ronald Brown Academy has consistently ranked among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Michigan, with only 3.53% of 3rd graders proficient in English Language Arts, compared to 11.7% for the district and 39.6% for the state. The school also struggles with extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 35.5% to 87.1%, and a very high percentage of students from low-income families, with 88.48% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. When compared to nearby schools like Carleton Elementary School, which outperforms Ronald Brown Academy in academic proficiency, the school's challenges become even more apparent.

The data analysis suggests that the issues at Ronald Brown Academy go beyond just funding, as the school's per-student spending has increased over the years, reaching $20,588 in the 2022-2023 school year. This raises questions about the equitable distribution of resources and opportunities within the Detroit Public Schools system, particularly for the predominantly African American student population at Ronald Brown Academy.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

11530 E Outer Dr
Detroit, MI 48224

(313) 886-2611

District: Detroit Public Schools Community District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1485^th of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $20,588

Students who attend Ronald Brown Academy usually attend:

High:

East English Village Preparatory Academy at Finney

Student/teacher ratio: 16.5

Number of students: 703

Racial breakdown:

African American:

98.0%

Two or more races:

0.9%

White:

0.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 88.5%

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Compare Ronald Brown Academy to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Ronald Brown Academy ranks worse than 99.9% of elementary schools in Michigan. It also ranks 63^rd among 64 ranked elementary schools in the Detroit Public Schools Community District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 3.29. (See more...)

Compare Details Ronald Brown Academy ranks worse than 98.1% of middle schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 5.44. (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%), two or more races (0.9%), American Indian (0.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 88.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ronald Brown Academy is 16.5. 38 elementary schools in the Detroit Public Schools Community District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Ronald Brown Academy employs 42.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ronald Brown Academy is $20,588. 42 elementary schools in the Detroit Public Schools Community District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ronald Brown Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Ronald Brown Academy 1485^th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Ronald Brown Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Ronald Brown Academy 880^th of 897 Michigan public middle schools. (See Ronald Brown Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Male 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 Ronald Brown Academy

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Ronald Brown Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2019	1.81	1408^th	1408	0.0%
2022	2.77	1341^st	1344	0.2%
2023	3.77	1464^th	1470	0.4%
2024	3.29	1485^th	1486	0.1%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Ronald Brown Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	31.90	295^th	403	26.8%

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

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Ronald Brown Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	7.13	1375^th	1397	1.6%
2023	5.01	1344^th	1350	0.4%

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

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Ronald Brown Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	5.15	1428^th	1443	1.0%

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

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Ronald Brown Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	6.48	1414^th	1446	2.2%
2023	3.52	1333^rd	1334	0.1%

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

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Ronald Brown Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	18.98	448^th	475	5.7%
2022	8.23	158^th	158	0.0%
2023	10.51	318^th	321	0.9%
2024	8.72	348^th	348	0.0%

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

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

Rank History for Ronald Brown Academy

Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Ronald Brown Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	4.22	880^th	883	0.3%
2024	5.44	880^th	897	1.9%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Ronald Brown Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	6.90	807^th	815	1.0%
2023	4.72	823^rd	825	0.2%
2024	6.35	820^th	836	1.9%

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

Rank History for middle school Female students at Ronald Brown Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	5.44	783^rd	794	1.4%

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

Rank History for middle school Male students at Ronald Brown Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	7.11	779^th	797	2.3%
2023	5.86	756^th	776	2.6%
2024	8.18	755^th	786	3.9%

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

Rank History for middle school African American students at Ronald Brown Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	16.35	350^th	366	4.4%
2023	12.00	301^st	310	2.9%
2024	13.85	290^th	300	3.3%

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.

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Ronald Brown Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2017	2	725	1	1	0	2	731
2018	2	916	0	3	2	1	924
2019	3	904	1	2	2	1	913
2020	3	913	0	6	2	10	934
2021	2	704	0	4	2	5	717
2022	1	671	0	3	2	4	681
2023	3	689	0	2	3	6	703

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 Ronald Brown Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	731	41.0	17.8	79.2
2018	924	47.0	19.6	84.3
2019	913	51.0	17.9	87.2
2020	934	47.5	19.6	81.4
2021	717	47.5	15.0	83.7
2022	681	45.5	14.9	85.8
2023	703	42.5	16.5	88.5

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 Ronald Brown Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	731	41.0	17.8	79.2
2018	924	47.0	19.6	84.3
2019	913	51.0	17.9	87.2
2020	934	47.5	19.6	81.4
2021	717	47.5	15.0	83.7
2022	681	45.5	14.9	85.8
2023	703	42.5	16.5	88.5

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 Ronald Brown Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,198 (16.7%)	$10,989 (83.3%)	$13,187
2020	$4,526 (31.3%)	$9,933 (68.7%)	$14,459
2021	$2,534 (14.1%)	$15,405 (85.9%)	$17,939
2022	$7,224 (33.6%)	$14,264 (66.4%)	$21,489
2023	$6,778 (32.9%)	$13,810 (67.1%)	$20,588

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ronald Brown 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.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 1408^th of 1408 Elementary schools	Ranks 1464^th of 1470 Elementary schools	0.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ronald Brown Academy)	5.8	8.8	3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Detroit Public Schools Community District)	11.9	12.4	0.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.1	40.9	4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Ronald Brown Academy)	9.6	5.5	4.1%
3rd Grade Math (Detroit Public Schools Community District)	16	13.9	2.1%
3rd Grade Math (Michigan)	46.7	42.9	3.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Ronald Brown Academy)	5.7	5	0.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Detroit Public Schools Community District)	14.1	11.6	2.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	46.2	43.9	2.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Ronald Brown Academy)	19.7	16	3.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Detroit Public Schools Community District)	24.5	24	0.5%
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	913	703	23%
African American	904	689	23.8%
American Indian	2	3	50%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	2	2
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	3	3
Two or More Races	1	6	500%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	87.2%	88.5%	1.3%

Schools Near Ronald Brown Academy

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)	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	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 Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ronald Brown Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	11530 E Outer Dr	Detroit	48224	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 886-2611	703	43	16.5	88.5%	3 (0.4%)	689 (98.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.9%)	3.3	1485^th of 1486 public elementary schools	0.1%		3.8	1464^th of 1470 public elementary schools	0.4%	21	22.4	6.0	3.5		5.7	4.9	7.1	5.8						10.1		$20,588	$6,778	$13,810
Wayne Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	10633 Courville St	Detroit	48224	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 866-0400	237	16	15.2	93.7%	0 (0.0%)	235 (99.2%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	9.1	1359^th of 1486 public elementary schools	8.5%		7.5	1387^th of 1470 public elementary schools	5.6%	28			10.7	18.8					16.7	8.8			8.8			$21,394	$7,117	$14,277
Hamilton Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	14223 Southampton St	Detroit	48213	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 870-0556	293	18	16.0	98.0%	0 (0.0%)	292 (99.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	4.5	1475^th of 1486 public elementary schools	0.7%					(n/a)	27.3				6.4					6.4		7.9	6.4			$20,488	$7,270	$13,218
Carleton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	11724 Casino St	Detroit	48224	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 866-8322	392	24	16.1	96.4%	2 (0.5%)	388 (99.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	10.5	1334^th of 1486 public elementary schools	10.2%		4.7	1452^nd of 1470 public elementary schools	1.2%	118				22.2	15.2				16.7				11.1			$21,215	$6,547	$14,668
Edward Duke Ellington at Beckham	Public	PK, KG-8	9860 Park Dr	Detroit	48213	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 852-8500	493	34	14.5	88.4%	3 (0.6%)	489 (99.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	5.8	1444^th of 1486 public elementary schools	2.8%		5.1	1443^rd of 1470 public elementary schools	1.8%	1	12.5			5.2	11.9	11.7	9.6	7.1			8.5	5.8	5.1	8.3		$21,584	$6,715	$14,869
George Defer Elementary School	Public	K-4	15425 Kercheval Ave	Grosse Pointe Park	48230	Wayne County	Grosse Pointe Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(313) 432-4000	441	28	15.7	16.3%	361 (81.9%)	25 (5.7%)	18 (4.1%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (7.7%)	90.3	102^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	93.1%		90.5	106^th of 1470 public elementary schools	92.8%	4			80.8	64.0				80.8	58.4							$16,400	$882	$15,517
Marquette ElementaryMiddle School	Public	PK, KG-8	6145 Canyon St	Detroit	48236	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 417-9360	514	30	16.9	93.6%	3 (0.6%)	506 (98.4%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	6.9	1417^th of 1486 public elementary schools	4.6%		5.3	1439^th of 1470 public elementary schools	2.1%	22	27.7				17.6	9.3	10.6			6.0		6.4	7.8	12.2		$20,587	$6,505	$14,082
Lewis Maire Elementary School	Public	K-4	740 Cadieux Rd	Grosse Pointe	48230	Wayne County	Grosse Pointe Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(313) 432-4300	234	15	15.6	6.0%	199 (85.0%)	7 (3.0%)	14 (6.0%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.1%)	96.8	24^th of 1486 public elementary schools	98.4%		94.6	51^st of 1470 public elementary schools	96.5%	27			74.5	80.4				76.4	82.1							$17,337	$789	$16,548
Brewer Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	18025 Brock St	Detroit	48205	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 866-0404	468	26	18.0	93.2%	0 (0.0%)	466 (99.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3.1	1486^th of 1486 public elementary schools	0.0%					(n/a)	10.2				5.7		8.3	5.4				5.2	6.0			$21,215	$7,231	$13,984
Discovery Creative Pathways Harper Woods	Public, Charter	K-8	19360 Harper Ave	Harper Woods	48225	Wayne County	Discovery Creative Pathways	Yes	No	No	Yes	(616) 916-7590	596	17	35.0	87.6%	3 (0.5%)	590 (99.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6.3	1429^th of 1486 public elementary schools	3.8%		7.5	1388^th of 1470 public elementary schools	5.6%	41	34.5		8.8	13.9	15.2	10.5	13.4	8.8	11.3			6.0	7.6	10.9	5.5	$12,971	$3,077	$9,894

Ronald Brown Academy

Ronald Brown Academy:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Detroit Public Schools Community District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Ronald Brown Academy

Rank History for all elementary school students at Ronald Brown Academy

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Ronald Brown Academy

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Ronald Brown Academy

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Ronald Brown Academy

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Ronald Brown Academy

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Ronald Brown Academy

Rank History for Ronald Brown Academy

Rank History for all middle school students at Ronald Brown Academy

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Ronald Brown Academy

Rank History for middle school Female students at Ronald Brown Academy

Rank History for middle school Male students at Ronald Brown Academy

Rank History for middle school African American students at Ronald Brown Academy

Enrollment information for Ronald Brown Academy

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Ronald Brown Academy

Student/Teacher Ratio Ronald Brown Academy

Per Pupil Expenditures for Ronald Brown Academy

Impact of COVID-19 on Ronald Brown Academy

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Ronald Brown Academy

Frequently Asked Questions about Ronald Brown Academy

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