Alger Middle School

Summary:

Alger Middle School is a public middle school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, serving 342 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Grand Rapids Public Schools district, which has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Alger Middle School stands out in several key ways. It has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (69.88%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 2.07% to 37.16% African American. Academically, the school consistently performs well below state and district averages on standardized tests, with proficiency rates ranging from 2.34% to 21.1% - much lower than the 13.7% to 92% range of nearby schools like Grand Rapids Public Museum Middle and Wyoming Junior High School. Alger Middle School also has an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 48.9% to 71.8%, much higher than the 10.7% to 52.3% range of surrounding schools.

Additionally, 94.74% of Alger Middle School students receive free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage - significantly higher than the 7.82% to 95.37% range of nearby schools. Despite this higher spending, the school's academic performance remains well below average, suggesting the resources may not be effectively allocated to address the unique needs of the student population. Addressing these challenges will require a comprehensive, data-driven approach involving the school, district, and community stakeholders.

Detail:

Public 6-8

921 Alger St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49507-3827

(616) 819-6200

District: Grand Rapids Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
889^th of 897 Michigan Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,291

Students who attend Alger Middle School usually attend:

High:	City MiddleHigh
	Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
	Innovation Central High
	Ottawa Hills High School

Feeder schools for Alger Middle School:

Elementary:	Brookside Elementary
	Campus Elementary
	Congress Elementary
	Dickinson Academy
	More...
	Gerald R Ford Academic Center
	KenOSha Park Elementary
	Martin Luther King Leadership Academy
	Mulick Park Elementary School
	Sherwood Global Studies Academy

Student/teacher ratio: 20.3

Number of students: 342

Racial breakdown:

African American:

69.9%

Hispanic:

15.8%

White:

9.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 94.7%

See top rated Michigan middle schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Alger Middle School ranks worse than 99.1% of middle schools in Michigan. It also ranks 3^rd among 5 ranked middle schools in the Grand Rapids Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 4.57. (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 (69.9%), Hispanic (15.8%), White (9.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 94.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Grand Rapids Public Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Alger Middle School is 20.3. 4 middle schools in the Grand Rapids Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Alger Middle School employs 16.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Alger Middle School is $19,291, which is the 3^rd highest among 5 middle schools in the Grand Rapids Public Schools District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Alger Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Alger Middle School 889^th of 897 Michigan public middle schools. (See Alger Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Grand Rapids Public Schools:

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

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Alger Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Alger Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2015	6.82	890^th	919	3.2%
2016	5.10	878^th	894	1.8%
2017	3.29	819^th	821	0.2%
2018	7.71	820^th	838	2.1%
2019	3.04	786^th	792	0.8%
2022	4.67	762^nd	776	1.8%
2023	5.27	866^th	883	1.9%
2024	4.57	889^th	897	0.9%

See the entire list of Michigan Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Alger Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	9.40	780^th	815	4.3%
2019	3.03	668^th	672	0.6%
2022	5.35	681^st	691	1.4%
2023	5.81	813^th	825	1.5%
2024	4.70	832^nd	836	0.5%

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

Rank History for Female students at Alger Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	7.43	759^th	794	4.4%
2023	3.85	766^th	770	0.5%
2024	3.68	768^th	771	0.4%

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

Rank History for Male students at Alger Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	7.99	768^th	797	3.6%
2022	3.78	654^th	658	0.6%
2023	4.28	771^st	776	0.6%
2024	3.75	783^rd	786	0.4%

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

Rank History for African American students at Alger Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	18.98	332^nd	366	9.3%
2019	7.49	196^th	196	0.0%
2022	9.92	179^th	182	1.6%
2023	8.58	310^th	310	0.0%
2024	9.84	297^th	300	1.0%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Alger Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	11.04	259^th	266	2.6%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a teacher
Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Taught here once as a substitute, Students at this "school" don't have any respect for anyone or anything. Would never step into this place again. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Alger Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2014	26	324	1	68	2	0	23	444
2015	19	270	0	61	0	0	19	369
2016	25	234	1	49	0	1	18	328
2017	26	195	1	35	1	0	16	274
2018	14	245	2	46	2	0	30	339
2019	13	238	2	51	2	0	33	339
2020	20	242	1	40	2	0	29	334
2021	26	246	1	58	0	0	30	361
2022	20	251	1	59	0	0	31	362
2023	31	239	1	54	2	0	15	342

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 Alger Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	444	26.9	16.5	83.3
2015	369	23.0	16.0	91.9
2016	328	24.0	13.6	82
2017	274	19.2	14.2	82.8
2018	339	19.9	17.0	90.3
2019	339	19.5	17.3	88.5
2020	334	20.5	16.2	91.3
2021	361	19.4	18.6	95.3
2022	362	19.6	18.4	97
2023	342	16.8	20.3	94.7

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 Alger Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	444	26.9	16.5	83.3
2015	369	23.0	16.0	91.9
2016	328	24.0	13.6	82
2017	274	19.2	14.2	82.8
2018	339	19.9	17.0	90.3
2019	339	19.5	17.3	88.5
2020	334	20.5	16.2	91.3
2021	361	19.4	18.6	95.3
2022	362	19.6	18.4	97
2023	342	16.8	20.3	94.7

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 Alger Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,350 (16.9%)	$11,550 (83.1%)	$13,901
2020	$2,072 (13.4%)	$13,405 (86.6%)	$15,477
2021	$2,802 (17.0%)	$13,655 (83.0%)	$16,457
2022	$4,649 (27.7%)	$12,105 (72.3%)	$16,754
2023	$5,935 (30.8%)	$13,356 (69.2%)	$19,291

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Alger Middle 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.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 786^th of 792 Middle schools	Ranks 866^th of 883 Middle schools	1.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Alger Middle School)	7.1	6.5	0.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Grand Rapids Public Schools)	24.9	26	1.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	41.7	37.5	4.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Alger Middle School)	20.4	21.1	0.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Grand Rapids Public Schools)	43.1	43.3	0.2%
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	339	342	0.9%
African American	238	239	0.4%
American Indian	2	2
Asian	2	1	50%
Hispanic	51	54	5.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	13	31	138.5%
Two or More Races	33	15	54.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	88.5%	94.7%	6.2%

Schools Near Alger Middle 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)	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 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th 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	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Alger Middle School	Public	6-8	921 Alger St SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-6200	342	17	20.3	94.7%	31 (9.1%)	239 (69.9%)	54 (15.8%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.4%)	4.6	889^th of 897 public middle schools	0.9%		5.3	866^th of 883 public middle schools	1.9%	23	18.3			10.6	5.4			2.3		2.7			$19,291	$5,935	$13,356
Burton Middle School	Public	6-8	2133 Buchanan Ave SW	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2269	482	27	17.5	89.0%	10 (2.1%)	115 (23.9%)	341 (70.7%)	7 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.9%)	4.4	891^st of 897 public middle schools	0.7%		5.2	870^th of 883 public middle schools	1.5%	21	15.9	3.6		2.4	4.0			3.6		7.9		2.9	$17,908	$5,272	$12,636
Godwin Heights Middle School	Public	6-8	100 Wexford St SE	Grand Rapids	49548	Kent County	Godwin Heights Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 252-2070	389	23	16.9	95.4%	44 (11.3%)	91 (23.4%)	223 (57.3%)	4 (1.0%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (6.2%)	25.7	657^th of 897 public middle schools	26.8%		21.5	680^th of 883 public middle schools	23.0%	23	55.7	14.1		22.1	28.7		18.1	16.8		26.7		10.3	$19,373	$2,762	$16,611
East Grand Rapids Middle School	Public	6-8	2425 Lake Dr SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	East Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 235-7551	652	33	19.7	7.8%	531 (81.4%)	14 (2.1%)	37 (5.7%)	14 (2.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (8.4%)	97.5	11^th of 897 public middle schools	98.8%		98	10^th of 883 public middle schools	98.9%	1	92.0	75.0		63.4	73.4		66.2	64.4		68.8		63.8	$12,554	$632	$11,922
Lee Middle School	Public	6-8	1335 Lee St SW	Wyoming	49509	Kent County	Godfrey-Lee Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 452-3296	358	21	17.1	91.9%	36 (10.1%)	29 (8.1%)	281 (78.5%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.8%)	12.2	801^st of 897 public middle schools	10.7%		14.1	758^th of 883 public middle schools	14.2%	43	41.9	5.1		15.0	16.2		2.5	11.1		18.4		8.7	$14,886	$1,719	$13,167
Wyoming Intermediate	Public	5-6	1331 33rd St SW	Wyoming	49509	Kent County	Wyoming Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 530-7540	573	34	16.8	86.7%	164 (28.6%)	100 (17.5%)	260 (45.4%)	6 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	41 (7.2%)								(n/a)			16.8	21.2		8.3	14.6		16.9		5.8		$14,165	$1,939	$12,227
Kelloggsville Middle School	Public	6-8	4650 Division Ave S	Grand Rapids	49548	Kent County	Kelloggsville Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 532-1575	450	26	17.4	86.2%	71 (15.8%)	123 (27.3%)	200 (44.4%)	20 (4.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (7.6%)	15.8	750^th of 897 public middle schools	16.4%		18.8	712^th of 883 public middle schools	19.4%	38	51.9	10.2		17.7	17.6		8.1	4.9		21.4		10.0	$14,825	$2,325	$12,501
Crestwood Middle School	Public	6-8	2674 44th St SE	Grand Rapids	49512	Kent County	Kentwood Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 455-1200	682	42	16.3	70.4%	174 (25.5%)	241 (35.3%)	87 (12.8%)	128 (18.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (7.5%)	59	292^nd of 897 public middle schools	67.4%		59.2	291^st of 883 public middle schools	67.0%	1	59.6	37.8		42.1	41.8		33.5	35.4		35.5		32.0	$16,714	$2,453	$14,260
Valleywood Middle School	Public	6-8	1110 50th St SE	Grand Rapids	49508	Kent County	Kentwood Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 538-7670	514	35	14.7	83.7%	107 (20.8%)	191 (37.2%)	110 (21.4%)	49 (9.5%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (10.3%)	25.3	663^rd of 897 public middle schools	26.1%		24.5	655^th of 883 public middle schools	25.8%	8	49.7	23.9		17.0	23.4		14.5	14.4		26.7		20.5	$18,965	$3,343	$15,622
Grand Rapids Public Museum Middle	Public	6-8	272 Pearl St NW	Grand Rapids	49504	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-3600	173	10	18.2	59.0%	66 (38.2%)	45 (26.0%)	46 (26.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (9.2%)	34.2	575^th of 897 public middle schools	35.9%		44.9	456^th of 883 public middle schools	48.4%	119	64.8	24.1		21.1	15.7		15.8	13.7		37.0		29.6	$17,473	$5,184	$12,290

Frequently Asked Questions about Alger Middle School

What high school do graduates of Alger Middle School attend?

Students who attend Alger Middle School usually go on to attend City MiddleHigh

How many students attend Alger Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 342 students attended Alger Middle School.

What district is Alger Middle School in?

Grand Rapids Public Schools

Is Alger Middle School a good school?

Alger Middle School ranks in the bottom 0.9% of Michigan middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Alger Middle School?

Students at Alger Middle School are 70% African American, 16% Hispanic, 9% White, 4% 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.