George Defer Elementary School

Summary:

George Defer Elementary School is a public elementary school in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, serving students from kindergarten to 4th grade as part of the highly-ranked Grosse Pointe Public Schools district.

George Defer Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Michigan, with students performing significantly better than state and district averages on standardized tests. In 2023-2024, 80.8% of 3rd graders and 64% of 4th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to just 39.6% and 43.3% statewide. The school's racial makeup is predominantly white, with only 16.33% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023. This contrasts sharply with nearby schools in the Detroit Public Schools Community District, which have much higher percentages of minority and low-income students and struggle academically.

While George Defer Elementary's performance is exceptional, the school has seen an increase in chronic absenteeism, from 7.8% in 2018-2019 to 15.2% in 2022-2023. This upward trend, though still lower than the nearby Detroit schools, warrants further investigation to address any underlying issues. Overall, George Defer Elementary's strong academic results, particularly in comparison to its urban counterparts, highlight the significant educational disparities in the region and the need to explore ways to provide equitable opportunities for all students.


Detail:

Public K-4

 15425 Kercheval Ave
       Grosse Pointe Park, MI  48230-1337


(313) 432-4000

District: Grosse Pointe Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
102nd of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,400 Help


Students who attend George Defer Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Pierce Middle School
High:    Grosse Pointe South High School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.7 Help
Number of students:  441

Racial breakdown:

White:
81.9%
Two or more races:
7.7%
African American:
5.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  16.3% Help


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 Compare George Defer Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details George Defer Elementary School ranks better than 93.1% of elementary schools in Michigan. It also ranks 4th among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Grosse Pointe Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 90.32. (See more...)
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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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (81.9%), two or more races (7.7%), African American (5.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 16.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at George Defer Elementary School is 15.7, which is the highest among 7 elementary schools in the Grosse Pointe Public Schools District! (See more...)
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Compare George Defer Elementary School employs 27.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at George Defer Elementary School is $16,400, which is the lowest among 7 elementary schools in the Grosse Pointe Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

George Defer Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks George Defer Elementary School 102nd of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See George Defer Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Grosse Pointe Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Grosse Pointe Public Schools 40th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for George Defer Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at George Defer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 77.80 227th 1545 85.3%
2007 82.14 147th 1565 90.6%
2008 82.63 129th 1577 91.8%
2009 80.43 190th 1589 88.0%
2010 72.28 435th 1552 72.0%
2011 80.67 159th 1552 89.8%
2012 88.12 117th 1566 92.5%
2013 89.54 86th 1563 94.5%
2014 81.91 206th 1533 86.6%
2015 81.41 236th 1580 85.1%
2016 83.00 202nd 1548 87.0%
2017 87.26 102nd 1466 93.0%
2018 87.31 147th 1448 89.8%
2019 90.65 86th 1408 93.9%
2021 93.76 40th 1153 96.5%
2022 95.95 29th 1344 97.8%
2023 90.48 106th 1470 92.8%
2024 90.32 102nd 1486 93.1%
See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at George Defer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.23 243rd 403 39.7%
2024 67.23 57th 225 74.7%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at George Defer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.35 831st 1397 40.5%
2022 68.96 245th 1099 77.7%
2023 48.87 646th 1350 52.1%
2024 78.18 181st 1381 86.9%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at George Defer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.80 331st 1443 77.1%
2019 85.79 98th 1171 91.6%
2021 92.10 26th 902 97.1%
2022 93.44 30th 1106 97.3%
2023 84.64 140th 1321 89.4%
2024 84.23 151st 1342 88.7%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at George Defer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 91.43 71st 1446 95.1%
2019 86.35 103rd 1196 91.4%
2021 93.57 25th 915 97.3%
2022 96.42 12th 1139 98.9%
2023 92.38 61st 1334 95.4%
2024 92.13 62nd 1347 95.4%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at George Defer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 88.89 81st 1253 93.5%
2019 89.70 67th 1128 94.1%
2021 95.38 20th 1005 98.0%
2022 96.61 11th 1102 99.0%
2023 86.86 113th 1198 90.6%
2024 89.36 82nd 1204 93.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for White 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.

George Defer Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for George Defer Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 427 7 6 2 0 n/a n/a 0 442
1989 429 5 6 2 3 n/a n/a 0 445
1990 420 3 8 9 3 n/a n/a 0 443
1991 426 8 7 2 1 n/a n/a 0 444
1992 433 9 9 4 2 n/a n/a 0 457
1993 446 6 15 6 1 n/a n/a 0 474
1994 437 8 15 5 1 n/a n/a 0 466
1995 458 18 11 6 1 n/a n/a 0 494
1996 458 18 11 6 1 n/a n/a 0 494
1997 467 21 10 8 0 n/a n/a 0 506
1998 469 21 6 7 0 n/a n/a 0 503
1999 441 14 12 9 0 n/a n/a 0 476
2000 412 21 10 8 0 n/a n/a 0 451
2001 394 29 9 9 0 n/a n/a 0 441
2002 367 47 5 9 2 n/a n/a 0 430
2003 367 47 5 9 2 n/a n/a 0 430
2004 379 58 10 7 2 n/a n/a 0 456
2005 374 76 9 6 4 n/a n/a 0 469
2006 367 77 7 9 4 n/a n/a 0 464
2007 360 88 18 6 2 n/a n/a 0 474
2008 337 84 22 8 n/a n/a n/a 10 461
2009 315 77 17 7 1 n/a n/a 14 431
2010 316 73 15 11 1 n/a n/a 0 416
2011 286 73 11 11 0 0 11 0 392
2012 289 82 11 7 0 0 11 0 400
2013 271 68 11 10 0 0 14 0 374
2014 247 54 8 5 0 0 15 0 329
2015 220 53 6 6 0 0 21 0 306
2016 214 45 5 12 1 0 22 0 299
2017 227 46 6 10 2 0 20 0 311
2018 244 38 5 17 0 0 30 0 334
2019 251 31 4 18 1 0 29 0 334
2020 269 34 3 17 0 0 28 0 351
2021 333 38 2 12 0 0 42 0 427
2022 367 28 1 14 2 0 43 0 455
2023 361 25 2 18 1 0 34 0 441

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 George Defer Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 442 n/a n/a n/a
1989 445 n/a n/a 7.9
1990 443 36.0 12.3 5.4
1991 444 n/a n/a n/a
1992 457 n/a n/a 8.1
1993 474 n/a 0.0 7
1994 466 20.5 22.7 6.9
1995 494 24.0 20.6 5.9
1996 494 24.0 20.6 5.9
1997 506 26.0 19.5 6.5
1998 503 27.0 18.6 8.9
1999 476 27.0 17.6 8
2000 451 27.8 16.2 7.3
2001 441 28.6 15.4 8.8
2002 430 26.9 16.0 9.8
2003 430 26.9 16.0 9.8
2004 456 27.0 16.9 11.8
2005 469 26.8 17.5 11.1
2006 464 25.9 17.9 11.6
2007 474 26.2 18.1 15
2008 461 27.9 16.5 15.5
2009 431 27.7 15.6 16.8
2010 416 25.9 16.0 14.2
2011 392 25.7 15.2 20.4
2012 400 26.8 14.9 23.5
2013 374 27.1 13.7 25.9
2014 329 22.8 14.4 25.5
2015 306 21.0 14.5 21.6
2016 299 22.0 13.5 19.7
2017 311 22.2 13.9 17
2018 334 19.5 17.1 20.7
2019 334 21.4 15.5 18.9
2020 351 19.5 17.9 19.4
2021 427 28.4 15.0 18.5
2022 455 28.7 15.8 16.3
2023 441 27.9 15.7 16.3

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 George Defer Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 442 n/a n/a n/a
1989 445 n/a n/a 7.9
1990 443 36.0 12.3 5.4
1991 444 n/a n/a n/a
1992 457 n/a n/a 8.1
1993 474 n/a 0.0 7
1994 466 20.5 22.7 6.9
1995 494 24.0 20.6 5.9
1996 494 24.0 20.6 5.9
1997 506 26.0 19.5 6.5
1998 503 27.0 18.6 8.9
1999 476 27.0 17.6 8
2000 451 27.8 16.2 7.3
2001 441 28.6 15.4 8.8
2002 430 26.9 16.0 9.8
2003 430 26.9 16.0 9.8
2004 456 27.0 16.9 11.8
2005 469 26.8 17.5 11.1
2006 464 25.9 17.9 11.6
2007 474 26.2 18.1 15
2008 461 27.9 16.5 15.5
2009 431 27.7 15.6 16.8
2010 416 25.9 16.0 14.2
2011 392 25.7 15.2 20.4
2012 400 26.8 14.9 23.5
2013 374 27.1 13.7 25.9
2014 329 22.8 14.4 25.5
2015 306 21.0 14.5 21.6
2016 299 22.0 13.5 19.7
2017 311 22.2 13.9 17
2018 334 19.5 17.1 20.7
2019 334 21.4 15.5 18.9
2020 351 19.5 17.9 19.4
2021 427 28.4 15.0 18.5
2022 455 28.7 15.8 16.3
2023 441 27.9 15.7 16.3

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 George Defer Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $351 (2.7%) $12,848 (97.3%) $13,199
2020 $343 (2.6%) $12,829 (97.4%) $13,172
2021 $716 (4.4%) $15,443 (95.6%) $16,159
2022 $631 (3.9%) $15,525 (96.1%) $16,156
2023 $882 (5.4%) $15,517 (94.6%) $16,400

Data source: Michigan Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on George Defer Elementary 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 86th of 1408 Elementary schoolsRanks 106th of 1470 Elementary schools
 1.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (George Defer Elementary School)76.265.4
 10.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Grosse Pointe Public Schools)61.358.8
 2.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.140.9
 4.2%
3rd Grade Math (George Defer Elementary School)66.763
 3.7%
   3rd Grade Math (Grosse Pointe Public Schools)6461.2
 2.8%
   3rd Grade Math (Michigan)46.742.9
 3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (George Defer Elementary School)7574.7
 0.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Grosse Pointe Public Schools)56.663.4
 6.8%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.844.3
 1.5%
4th Grade Math (George Defer Elementary School)63.672.3
 8.7%
   4th Grade Math (Grosse Pointe Public Schools)60.260.2
   4th Grade Math (Michigan)41.838.6
 3.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students334441
 32%
African American3125
 19.4%
American Indian11
Asian42
 50%
Hispanic1818
Pacific Islander00
White251361
 43.8%
Two or More Races2934
 17.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients18.9%16.3%
 2.5%


Schools Near George Defer Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about George Defer Elementary School

In the 2022-23 school year, 441 students attended George Defer Elementary School.

Students at George Defer Elementary School are 82% White, 8% Two or more races, 6% African American, 4% Hispanic.

Yes. George Defer Elementary School ranks in the top 6.9% of Michigan elementary schools.

Students who attend George Defer Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Pierce Middle School
High : Grosse Pointe South High School


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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.





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