Is Gerald R Ford Academic Center a good school?

Gerald R Ford Academic Center ranks 1068 th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Gerald R Ford Academic Center?

In the 2023-24 school year, 230 students attended Gerald R Ford Academic Center.

What is the racial makeup of Gerald R Ford Academic Center?

Students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center are 56% African American, 40% Hispanic, 2% White, 2% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Gerald R Ford Academic Center attend?

Students who attend Gerald R Ford Academic Center usually go on to attend: Middle : Alger Middle School Middle : Blandford School Middle : Center for Economicology Middle : John Ball Park Zoo School High : City MiddleHigh High : Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy High : Innovation Central High High : Ottawa Hills High School

Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Summary:

Gerald R Ford Academic Center is an elementary school serving grades PK-8 in the Grand Rapids Public Schools district, with a student population of 230 and a predominantly minority student body (53.91% African American and 41.3% Hispanic).

Despite receiving relatively high per-student funding of $17,673 in the 2022-2023 school year, Gerald R Ford Academic Center consistently underperforms compared to state and district averages on standardized tests. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math were significantly lower than those of nearby schools like Buchanan Elementary and Cesar E Chavez Elementary. Additionally, the school has experienced a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 9.7% in 2019-2020 to 40.6% in 2022-2023, which likely contributes to its academic struggles.

While African American students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center perform relatively well compared to their peers in the state, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds at the school perform poorly, ranking in the bottom 992 out of 1,381 Michigan elementary schools for this subgroup. This suggests that the school's challenges may be more complex than just a lack of resources, and that targeted interventions addressing the specific needs of the student population could be crucial to improving academic outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

851 Madison Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49507-1208

(616) 819-2640

District: Grand Rapids Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
1068^th of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,673

Students who attend Gerald R Ford Academic Center usually attend:

Middle:	Alger Middle School
	Blandford School
	Center for Economicology
	John Ball Park Zoo School
High:	City MiddleHigh
	Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
	Innovation Central High
	Ottawa Hills High School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.1

Number of students: 230

Racial breakdown:

African American:

55.7%

Hispanic:

40.0%

White:

2.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 89.6%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Gerald R Ford Academic Center to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Gerald R Ford Academic Center ranks worse than 71.9% of elementary schools in Michigan. It also ranks 6^th among 20 ranked elementary schools in the Grand Rapids Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 27.04. (See more...)

Compare Details Gerald R Ford Academic Center ranks better than 56.3% of middle schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 50.42. (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 (55.7%), Hispanic (40%), two or more races (2.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 89.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gerald R Ford Academic Center is 17.1, which is the 12^th best among 20 elementary schools in the Grand Rapids Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Gerald R Ford Academic Center employs 13.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Gerald R Ford Academic Center is $17,673, which is the 10^th highest among 20 elementary schools in the Grand Rapids Public Schools District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Gerald R Ford Academic Center:

SchoolDigger ranks Gerald R Ford Academic Center 1068^th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Gerald R Ford Academic Center in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Gerald R Ford Academic Center 392^nd of 897 Michigan public middle schools. (See Gerald R Ford Academic Center in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Grand Rapids Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Grand Rapids Public Schools 471^st of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Gerald R Ford Academic Center

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2015	13.80	1388^th	1580	12.2%
2016	10.29	1396^th	1548	9.8%
2017	25.18	1086^th	1466	25.9%
2018	30.52	1074^th	1448	25.8%
2019	35.68	901^st	1408	36.0%
2022	18.31	1094^th	1344	18.6%
2023	25.32	1067^th	1470	27.4%
2024	27.04	1068^th	1486	28.1%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	41.77	862^nd	1397	38.3%
2019	50.60	535^th	1134	52.8%
2022	32.21	763^rd	1099	30.6%
2023	42.16	767^th	1350	43.2%
2024	30.68	992^nd	1381	28.2%

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

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	37.13	943^rd	1443	34.7%
2024	17.42	1135^th	1342	15.4%

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

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	21.05	1173^rd	1446	18.9%
2023	46.84	671^st	1334	49.7%

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

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	59.57	136^th	475	71.4%
2019	65.02	59^th	212	72.2%
2023	59.73	88^th	321	72.6%
2024	73.18	45^th	348	87.1%

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 Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2015	12.75	790^th	919	14.0%
2016	22.32	687^th	894	23.2%
2017	20.85	651^st	821	20.7%
2018	11.69	773^rd	838	7.8%
2023	39.86	515^th	883	41.7%
2024	50.42	392^nd	897	56.3%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	16.46	707^th	815	13.3%
2023	58.54	278^th	825	66.3%
2024	71.17	155^th	836	81.5%

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

Rank History for middle school Male students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	16.01	674^th	797	15.4%
2024	68.40	188^th	786	76.1%

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

Rank History for middle school African American students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	17.50	345^th	366	5.7%

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

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	19.46	234^th	266	12.0%
2024	57.90	89^th	257	65.4%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Hispanic 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 Gerald R Ford Academic Center

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Year	White	African American	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2014	7	102	57	2	7	175
2015	7	137	75	0	5	224
2016	10	152	73	0	7	242
2017	7	160	76	0	7	250
2018	10	178	88	0	8	284
2019	8	178	89	0	10	285
2020	10	184	101	0	9	304
2021	10	171	99	0	7	287
2022	10	171	99	0	9	289
2023	7	124	95	0	4	230
2024	5	128	92	0	5	230

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 Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	175	13.3	13.1	92.6
2015	224	16.0	14.0	88.8
2016	242	17.0	14.2	86.8
2017	250	18.4	13.5	81.6
2018	284	18.7	15.1	84.5
2019	285	20.1	14.1	80
2020	304	18.8	16.1	87.5
2021	287	18.3	15.6	89.9
2022	289	17.8	16.2	92
2023	230	15.5	14.8	88.7
2024	230	13.4	17.1	89.6

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 Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	175	13.3	13.1	92.6
2015	224	16.0	14.0	88.8
2016	242	17.0	14.2	86.8
2017	250	18.4	13.5	81.6
2018	284	18.7	15.1	84.5
2019	285	20.1	14.1	80
2020	304	18.8	16.1	87.5
2021	287	18.3	15.6	89.9
2022	289	17.8	16.2	92
2023	230	15.5	14.8	88.7
2024	230	13.4	17.1	89.6

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 Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,991 (15.6%)	$10,806 (84.4%)	$12,798
2020	$1,675 (13.0%)	$11,199 (87.0%)	$12,874
2021	$2,026 (15.8%)	$10,784 (84.2%)	$12,810
2022	$4,062 (24.9%)	$12,250 (75.1%)	$16,312
2023	$3,832 (21.7%)	$13,840 (78.3%)	$17,673

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Gerald R Ford Academic Center

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 901^st of 1408 Elementary schools	Ranks 1067^th of 1470 Elementary schools	8.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Gerald R Ford Academic Center)	39.5	11.1	28.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Grand Rapids Public Schools)	28.2	21.4	6.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.1	40.9	4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Gerald R Ford Academic Center)	31.6	11.1	20.5%
3rd Grade Math (Grand Rapids Public Schools)	26.8	17.9	8.9%
3rd Grade Math (Michigan)	46.7	42.9	3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Gerald R Ford Academic Center)	43.2	29.2	14%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Grand Rapids Public Schools)	24.4	25.4	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.8	44.3	1.5%
4th Grade Math (Gerald R Ford Academic Center)	40.5	16.7	23.8%
4th Grade Math (Grand Rapids Public Schools)	17.7	15.2	2.5%
4th Grade Math (Michigan)	41.8	38.6	3.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	285	230	19.3%
African American	178	124	30.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	89	95	6.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	8	7	12.5%
Two or More Races	10	4	60%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	80%	88.7%	8.7%

Schools Near Gerald R Ford Academic Center

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)	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	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 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Gerald R Ford Academic Center	Public	PK, KG-8	851 Madison Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2640	230	13	17.1	89.6%	5 (2.2%)	128 (55.7%)	92 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.2%)	27	1068^th of 1486 public elementary schools	28.1%		25.3	1067^th of 1470 public elementary schools	27.4%	1	43.8	36.1	21.7	17.9		57.1	41.7				28.6	14.3	18.8		$17,673	$3,832	$13,840
Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	409 Lafayette Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center	Yes	No	No	Yes	(616) 459-0330	285	16	17.8	34.0%	194 (68.1%)	33 (11.6%)	35 (12.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (7.7%)	84.3	202^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	86.4%		82.5	222^nd of 1470 public elementary schools	84.9%	20		50.0	65.0	75.0			52.1	57.5	52.3			72.7		43.2	$11,781	$1,124	$10,657
Martin Luther King Leadership Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	645 Logan St SE	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2600	268	20	13.6	96.3%	21 (7.8%)	194 (72.4%)	45 (16.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.0%)								(n/a)			15.0					7.7							$15,912	$4,056	$11,856
Gerald Dawkins Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	1050 Fisk St SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Gerald Dawkins Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(517) 281-8626	66	7	9.4	89.4%	0 (0.0%)	55 (83.3%)	3 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (12.1%)								(n/a)		41.2					23.5
Southwest Elementary Academia Bilingue	Public	PK, KG-6	801 Oakland Ave SW	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2947	661	33	20.2	81.7%	43 (6.5%)	44 (6.7%)	557 (84.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.3%)	16.1	1235^th of 1486 public elementary schools	16.9%		18.8	1174^th of 1470 public elementary schools	20.1%	61		17.0	12.3	21.1	32.9		18.0	13.6	14.3	15.8		20.8		10.4	$15,566	$4,085	$11,481
River City Scholars Charter Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	944 Evergreen St SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	River City Scholars Charter Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(616) 248-3390	293	27	10.8	96.6%	14 (4.8%)	223 (76.1%)	18 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (12.6%)	15	1249^th of 1486 public elementary schools	15.9%		9.1	1343^rd of 1470 public elementary schools	8.6%	94	38.5		31.3	27.0	13.5	26.7	9.1	28.1	10.8			8.1			$18,140	$2,733	$15,407
Dickinson Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	448 Dickinson St SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2505	228	12	19.1	96.5%	16 (7.0%)	93 (40.8%)	102 (44.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (7.0%)								(n/a)	38.5			9.7											$19,039	$4,304	$14,736
Campus Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	710 Benjamin Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2535	233	14	16.7	95.7%	13 (5.6%)	163 (70.0%)	33 (14.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (10.3%)								(n/a)				14.3											$16,243	$4,399	$11,844
Congress Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	940 Baldwin St SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2201	182	13	14.4	69.2%	71 (39.0%)	51 (28.0%)	44 (24.2%)	2 (1.1%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (7.1%)	52.1	679^th of 1486 public elementary schools	54.3%		58.7	567^th of 1470 public elementary schools	61.4%	112		32.0	48.7	60.0			20.0	41.5	29.0			50.0		21.9	$16,416	$3,567	$12,850
Buchanan Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1775 Buchanan Ave SW	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2252	387	21	18.1	95.3%	10 (2.6%)	42 (10.9%)	330 (85.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.3%)	5.5	1452^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	2.3%		7.3	1391^st of 1470 public elementary schools	5.4%	61		13.2	8.9	13.3			8.3	9.8	5.1			5.1			$16,257	$3,974	$12,282

Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Gerald R Ford Academic Center:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Grand Rapids Public Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Rank History for all elementary school students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Rank History for Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Rank History for all middle school students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Rank History for middle school Male students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Rank History for middle school African American students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Enrollment information for Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Student/Teacher Ratio Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Per Pupil Expenditures for Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Impact of COVID-19 on Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Gerald R Ford Academic Center

Frequently Asked Questions about Gerald R Ford Academic Center

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