Ralph J Bunche Academy

Summary:

Ralph J Bunche Academy is an elementary school in Ecorse, Michigan, serving 318 students in grades 1-4. The school has a predominantly African American student population (84.28%) and faces significant challenges, including consistently low academic performance, high chronic absenteeism, and a student population with high economic disadvantage.

Ralph J Bunche Academy has consistently ranked among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Michigan, with only 7.7% of 3rd-grade students and 21.9% of 4th-grade students proficient in English Language Arts, compared to state averages of 39.6% and 43.3%, respectively. The school's chronic absenteeism rates have ranged from 22% to 70.1%, significantly higher than the state average. Despite increased per-student spending, from $12,785 in 2019-2020 to $22,414 in 2022-2023, the school's academic outcomes have not shown significant improvement over time.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Brenda Hague Early Learning Village, which serves a similar demographic, Ralph J Bunche Academy has a higher chronic absenteeism rate and lower per-student spending, suggesting that the school may need a more comprehensive intervention strategy to address its challenges. The school's performance is particularly low for African American students, who rank 292 out of 321 Michigan elementary schools, indicating a need to focus on addressing the specific needs of this student population.

Detail:

Public 1-4

503 Hyacinthe St
Ecorse, MI 48229-1315

(313) 294-4710

District: Ecorse Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
1375^th of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $22,414

Students who attend Ralph J Bunche Academy usually attend:

Middle:	GrandPort Elementary Academy
High:	Ecorse Community High School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.7

Number of students: 318

Racial breakdown:

African American:

84.3%

White:

7.9%

Hispanic:

6.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 90.3%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Ralph J Bunche Academy to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Ralph J Bunche Academy ranks worse than 92.5% of elementary schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 8.34. (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 (84.3%), White (7.9%), Hispanic (6.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 90.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ralph J Bunche Academy is 18.7. (See more...)

Compare Ralph J Bunche Academy employs 17 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ralph J Bunche Academy is $22,414.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ralph J Bunche Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Ralph J Bunche Academy 1375^th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Ralph J Bunche Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

What do you think?

Your rating for Ralph J Bunche Academy?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Ralph J Bunche Academy

Compare

Rank History for all students at Ralph J Bunche Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2007	10.93	1489^th	1565	4.9%
2008	3.69	1550^th	1577	1.7%
2009	0.79	1586^th	1589	0.2%
2023	6.35	1411^th	1470	4.0%
2024	8.34	1375^th	1486	7.5%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ralph J Bunche Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	8.68	1291^st	1350	4.4%
2024	11.67	1265^th	1381	8.4%

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

Rank History for Female students at Ralph J Bunche Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	5.66	1286^th	1321	2.6%
2024	7.22	1291^st	1342	3.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Ralph J Bunche Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	6.53	1285^th	1334	3.7%

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

Rank History for African American students at Ralph J Bunche Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	17.03	292^nd	321	9.0%

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.

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Ralph J Bunche Academy.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Ralph J Bunche Academy, submit a rating!

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Ralph J Bunche Academy

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	86	152	0	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	253
1989	76	168	2	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	257
1990	160	200	0	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	382
1991	139	192	0	17	0	n/a	n/a	11	359
1992	130	175	0	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	323
1993	133	170	0	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	322
1994	119	218	0	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	353
1995	210	285	0	34	10	n/a	n/a	0	539
1996	210	285	0	34	10	n/a	n/a	0	539
1997	168	269	0	27	0	n/a	n/a	-3	461
1998	159	242	2	26	0	n/a	n/a	0	429
1999	146	230	0	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	401
2000	99	190	0	25	0	n/a	n/a	10	324
2001	128	233	0	35	0	n/a	n/a	0	396
2002	109	194	1	38	0	n/a	n/a	0	342
2003	109	194	1	38	0	n/a	n/a	0	342
2004	93	157	1	40	2	n/a	n/a	0	293
2005	89	136	1	36	1	n/a	n/a	0	263
2006	67	107	0	24	2	n/a	n/a	0	200
2007	83	231	0	37	2	n/a	n/a	0	353
2008	70	176	n/a	31	1	n/a	n/a	0	278
2009	55	180	0	32	1	n/a	n/a	0	268
2010	43	171	0	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	236
2011	45	198	1	21	0	0	0	0	265
2012	44	195	0	15	0	0	0	0	254
2013	49	205	0	15	0	0	1	0	270
2014	38	174	0	19	0	0	4	0	235
2015	38	210	0	23	1	0	5	0	277
2016	28	239	1	24	0	0	8	0	300
2017	30	263	1	24	0	0	6	0	324
2018	28	250	1	17	0	0	4	0	300
2019	30	246	0	18	0	0	1	0	295
2020	34	268	0	19	0	0	0	0	321
2021	28	292	1	19	0	0	1	0	341
2022	27	291	1	24	0	0	3	0	346
2023	25	268	1	21	0	0	3	0	318

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 Ralph J Bunche Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	253	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	257	n/a	n/a	50.2
1990	382	22.0	17.3	53.4
1991	359	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	323	n/a	n/a	94.7
1993	322	n/a	0.0	0
1994	353	15.0	23.5	62.3
1995	539	19.7	27.4	65.1
1996	539	19.7	27.4	65.1
1997	461	25.0	18.4	63.1
1998	429	20.0	21.5	76.9
1999	401	20.0	20.1	70.3
2000	324	21.1	14.9	79.6
2001	396	21.8	18.2	87.6
2002	342	19.6	17.4	75.4
2003	342	19.6	17.4	75.4
2004	293	19.2	15.3	84.3
2005	263	18.3	14.4	95.8
2006	200	13.5	14.8	98.5
2007	353	17.0	20.8	89
2008	278	16.0	17.4	91
2009	268	12.0	22.3	67.2
2010	236	13.0	18.1	50
2011	265	13.0	20.3	93.6
2012	254	15.0	16.9	70.9
2013	270	19.0	14.2	91.9
2014	235	20.0	11.7	84.7
2015	277	15.0	18.4	92.1
2016	300	20.0	15.0	81
2017	324	17.0	19.0	78.7
2018	300	16.0	18.7	84.7
2019	295	15.5	19.0	86.4
2020	321	16.0	20.0	89.4
2021	341	15.0	22.7	91.8
2022	346	18.0	19.2	90.2
2023	318	17.0	18.7	90.3

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 Ralph J Bunche Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	253	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	257	n/a	n/a	50.2
1990	382	22.0	17.3	53.4
1991	359	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	323	n/a	n/a	94.7
1993	322	n/a	0.0	0
1994	353	15.0	23.5	62.3
1995	539	19.7	27.4	65.1
1996	539	19.7	27.4	65.1
1997	461	25.0	18.4	63.1
1998	429	20.0	21.5	76.9
1999	401	20.0	20.1	70.3
2000	324	21.1	14.9	79.6
2001	396	21.8	18.2	87.6
2002	342	19.6	17.4	75.4
2003	342	19.6	17.4	75.4
2004	293	19.2	15.3	84.3
2005	263	18.3	14.4	95.8
2006	200	13.5	14.8	98.5
2007	353	17.0	20.8	89
2008	278	16.0	17.4	91
2009	268	12.0	22.3	67.2
2010	236	13.0	18.1	50
2011	265	13.0	20.3	93.6
2012	254	15.0	16.9	70.9
2013	270	19.0	14.2	91.9
2014	235	20.0	11.7	84.7
2015	277	15.0	18.4	92.1
2016	300	20.0	15.0	81
2017	324	17.0	19.0	78.7
2018	300	16.0	18.7	84.7
2019	295	15.5	19.0	86.4
2020	321	16.0	20.0	89.4
2021	341	15.0	22.7	91.8
2022	346	18.0	19.2	90.2
2023	318	17.0	18.7	90.3

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 Ralph J Bunche Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$3,148 (24.0%)	$9,979 (76.0%)	$13,127
2020	$2,116 (16.6%)	$10,669 (83.4%)	$12,785
2021	$4,934 (33.9%)	$9,607 (66.1%)	$14,541
2022	$6,982 (35.4%)	$12,738 (64.6%)	$19,719
2023	$7,707 (34.4%)	$14,707 (65.6%)	$22,414

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ralph J Bunche 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 (Ralph J Bunche Academy)	9.5	11	1.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ecorse Public Schools)	9.5	11	1.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.1	40.9	4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Ralph J Bunche Academy)	11.9	8.2	3.7%
3rd Grade Math (Ecorse Public Schools)	11.9	8.2	3.7%
3rd Grade Math (Michigan)	46.7	42.9	3.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	295	318	7.8%
African American	246	268	8.9%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	18	21	16.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	30	25	16.7%
Two or More Races	1	3	200%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	86.4%	90.3%	3.8%

Schools Near Ralph J Bunche 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 7th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ralph J Bunche Academy	Public	1-4	503 Hyacinthe St	Ecorse	48229	Wayne County	Ecorse Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 294-4710	318	17	18.7	90.3%	25 (7.9%)	268 (84.3%)	21 (6.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	8.3	1375^th of 1486 public elementary schools	7.5%		6.3	1411^th of 1470 public elementary schools	4.0%	36			7.7	21.9					9.4							$22,414	$7,707	$14,707
Brenda Hague Early Learning Village	Public	PK-K	50 W Josephine St	Ecorse	48229	Wayne County	Ecorse Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(313) 294-4750	74	8	9.2	93.2%	9 (12.2%)	53 (71.6%)	9 (12.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.1%)								(n/a)																$27,969	$9,270	$18,699
Raupp School	Public	PK, KG-5	1351 Ethel Ave	Lincoln Park	48146	Wayne County	Lincoln Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 389-0226	293	17	17.0	98.0%	77 (26.3%)	81 (27.6%)	122 (41.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.1%)	11.8	1313^th of 1486 public elementary schools	11.6%		10.5	1305^th of 1470 public elementary schools	11.2%	8			23.7	16.0	25.5			15.4	11.3	16.1		5.4				$17,070	$1,646	$15,424
Mark Twain ElementaryMiddle School	Public	PK, KG-8	12800 Visger St	Detroit	48217	Wayne County	Detroit Public Schools Community District	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 386-5530	236	15	15.5	85.2%	2 (0.8%)	199 (84.3%)	23 (9.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.1%)	8.7	1370^th of 1486 public elementary schools	7.8%		14.2	1246^th of 1470 public elementary schools	15.2%	124	25.0		12.2	11.4	12.9		11.8	17.9		16.7	8.8	10.0				$24,298	$6,557	$17,741
Ann Visger K5 Preparatory Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	11121 W Jefferson Ave	River Rouge	48218	Wayne County	River Rouge School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 297-9648	621	33	19.1	92.6%	54 (8.7%)	464 (74.7%)	53 (8.5%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (7.2%)	6.2	1433^rd of 1486 public elementary schools	3.6%		9.4	1334^th of 1470 public elementary schools	9.3%	99			8.3	11.7	15.4			14.3				9.9				$16,821	$2,704	$14,117
Lafayette School	Public	PK, KG-5	1360 Lafayette Blvd	Lincoln Park	48146	Wayne County	Lincoln Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 389-0224	500	26	19.4	98.0%	128 (25.6%)	72 (14.4%)	269 (53.8%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.2%)	15.7	1238^th of 1486 public elementary schools	16.7%		11.1	1298^th of 1470 public elementary schools	11.7%	60			19.4	30.4	27.5			19.7	13.9	14.1		15.2		9.8		$16,389	$1,736	$14,653
Keppen School	Public	PK, KG-5	661 Mill St	Lincoln Park	48146	Wayne County	Lincoln Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 389-0232	341	17	20.5	96.5%	97 (28.4%)	66 (19.4%)	152 (44.6%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.5%)	31.6	996^th of 1486 public elementary schools	33.0%		27	1041^st of 1470 public elementary schools	29.2%	45			38.5	46.4	21.2			24.5	41.4	17.3		15.4				$16,982	$1,746	$15,236
River Rouge Stem Academy at Dunn	Public	PK, KG-8	163 Burke St	River Rouge	48218	Wayne County	River Rouge School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 297-9663	322	19	16.9	83.9%	10 (3.1%)	279 (86.6%)	19 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.3%)	9.4	1356^th of 1486 public elementary schools	8.7%		10.7	1304^th of 1470 public elementary schools	11.3%	52	28.6	8.2	8.1	7.3	20.0	12.8	14.9			16.7	12.8	16.7	18.4		8.2	$17,353	$2,851	$14,502
Allendale Elementary School	Public	2-5	3201 Oakwood Blvd	Melvindale	48122	Wayne County	Melvindale-Northern Allen Park Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 389-4664	859	45	19.1	90.9%	628 (73.1%)	52 (6.1%)	150 (17.5%)	4 (0.5%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (2.6%)	16.3	1231^st of 1486 public elementary schools	17.2%		15.7	1228^th of 1470 public elementary schools	16.5%	3			14.5	29.5	25.4			20.3	33.8	13.5		13.0		2.4		$15,349	$2,074	$13,274
James Foote School	Public	PK, KG-5	3250 Abbott Ave	Lincoln Park	48146	Wayne County	Lincoln Park School District of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(313) 389-0216	300	16	18.8	91.7%	121 (40.3%)	37 (12.3%)	117 (39.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	23 (7.7%)	30.1	1017^th of 1486 public elementary schools	31.6%		9.7	1322^nd of 1470 public elementary schools	10.1%	305			37.3	45.1	33.3			28.8	30.8	10.4		16.7				$17,549	$1,583	$15,966

Frequently Asked Questions about Ralph J Bunche Academy

What is the racial makeup of Ralph J Bunche Academy?

Students at Ralph J Bunche Academy are 84% African American, 8% White, 7% Hispanic.

What district is Ralph J Bunche Academy in?

Ecorse Public Schools

Is Ralph J Bunche Academy a good school?

Ralph J Bunche Academy ranks in the bottom 7.5% of Michigan elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Ralph J Bunche Academy attend?

Students who attend Ralph J Bunche Academy usually go on to attend:

Middle : GrandPort Elementary Academy
High : Ecorse Community High School

How many students attend Ralph J Bunche Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 318 students attended Ralph J Bunche Academy.

Rate Ralph J Bunche Academy!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MIMichigan Elementary School Rankings

MIMichigan District Rankings

Schools in Ecorse, MI

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Ralph J Bunche Academy!

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.