Grayson Elementary

Q: Is Grayson Elementary a good school?

Grayson Elementary ranks 887 th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Grayson Elementary is a public magnet elementary school in Waterford, Michigan, serving 462 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. As part of the Waterford School District, which is ranked 378 out of 610 districts in Michigan, Grayson Elementary stands out with its relatively strong academic performance compared to the district and state averages.

One key differentiator is Grayson's racial makeup, with a higher percentage of White students (63.64%) compared to nearby schools like Donelson Hills Elementary and Alcott School, which have more diverse student populations. Academically, Grayson Elementary outperforms the district and state in M-Step test scores, with a 3rd-grade English Language Arts proficiency rate of 42.5% in 2023-2024, compared to 38.6% for the district and 39.6% for the state. However, the school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 8.1% in 2019-2020 to 22.9% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state average.

Grayson Elementary's performance is also noteworthy when compared to nearby schools. It generally outperforms Donelson Hills Elementary and Riverside Elementary, but lags behind the higher-performing Schoolcraft Elementary and the Clarkston Community School District schools, such as North Sashabaw Elementary and Pine Knob Elementary. The high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at Grayson Elementary, coupled with the increasing chronic absenteeism, suggests that socioeconomic factors may be playing a role in the school's performance, as seen in the lower-performing schools in the Pontiac City School District.

Detail:

Public, Magnet K-5

3800 W Walton Blvd
Waterford, MI 48329-4269

(248) 674-0200

District: Waterford School District

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,675

Student/teacher ratio: 21.3

Number of students: 462

Racial breakdown:

White:

63.6%

Hispanic:

17.3%

African American:

10.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 59.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Grayson Elementary ranks worse than 59.7% of elementary schools in Michigan. It also ranks 5^th among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Waterford School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 37.89. (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 Grayson Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Waterford School District. Racial makeup is: White (63.6%), Hispanic (17.3%), African American (10.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 59.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Grayson Elementary is 21.3, which is the highest among 9 elementary schools in the Waterford School District! (See more...)

Compare Grayson Elementary employs 21.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Grayson Elementary is $14,675, which is the lowest among 9 elementary schools in the Waterford School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Grayson Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Grayson Elementary 887^th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Grayson Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Waterford School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Waterford School District 378^th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Grayson Elementary.

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Rank History for Grayson Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Grayson Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2017	53.80	617^th	1466	57.9%
2018	59.67	622^nd	1448	57.0%
2019	39.85	837^th	1408	40.6%
2021	42.07	637^th	1153	44.8%
2022	37.48	804^th	1344	40.2%
2023	37.25	892^nd	1470	39.3%
2024	37.89	887^th	1486	40.3%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Grayson Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	54.81	639^th	1397	54.3%
2019	44.51	634^th	1134	44.1%
2021	53.72	300^th	749	59.9%
2022	36.58	707^th	1099	35.7%
2023	36.94	852^nd	1350	36.9%
2024	39.55	816^th	1381	40.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at Grayson Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	58.33	613^th	1443	57.5%
2019	58.07	461^st	1171	60.6%
2021	37.22	575^th	902	36.3%
2022	31.20	790^th	1106	28.6%
2023	24.06	1001^st	1321	24.2%
2024	36.83	826^th	1342	38.5%

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

Rank History for Male students at Grayson Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	57.66	611^th	1446	57.7%
2019	21.65	980^th	1196	18.1%
2021	47.84	442^nd	915	51.7%
2022	36.51	716^th	1139	37.1%
2023	43.43	726^th	1334	45.6%
2024	39.46	794^th	1347	41.1%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Grayson Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	43.65	124^th	222	44.1%
2023	29.75	132^nd	188	29.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Grayson Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	59.46	492^nd	1253	60.7%
2019	44.97	625^th	1128	44.6%
2021	52.58	439^th	1005	56.3%
2022	40.41	661^st	1102	40.0%
2023	37.40	776^th	1198	35.2%
2024	38.62	742^nd	1204	38.4%

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.

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4.7)

86%

14%

Reviews:

by a parent
Thursday, October 17, 2019

Grayson is a great school with awesome teachers and support staff! I wouldn’t send my children anywhere else if given a choice! Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Teachers and staff are passionate about their students. I believe they are some of the best teachers. Teachers have worked with me to help me understand where my students are struggling, they work to inspire students to be self motivated. When difficulty has happened they have done their best to resolve issues.
The one negative is the bus driver shortages that all districts seem to have currently. But Grayson is doing it's best to make drop off/pick up efficient and safe Close Quote

Enrollment information for Grayson Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2015	384	37	17	75	1	1	26	541
2016	366	28	18	80	0	1	29	522
2017	363	43	16	77	0	0	34	533
2018	357	45	16	68	1	0	39	526
2019	314	43	13	75	1	0	30	476
2020	317	47	14	75	1	0	33	487
2021	298	39	11	72	1	0	29	450
2022	280	41	8	68	4	0	25	426
2023	294	47	9	80	3	0	29	462

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 Grayson Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	541	28.0	19.3	24
2016	522	27.0	19.3	49
2017	533	25.6	20.8	47.3
2018	526	24.0	21.9	51.7
2019	476	28.5	16.7	53.6
2020	487	26.8	18.1	54
2021	450	25.6	17.5	53.6
2022	426	24.2	17.6	58
2023	462	21.6	21.3	59.1

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 Grayson Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	541	28.0	19.3	24
2016	522	27.0	19.3	49
2017	533	25.6	20.8	47.3
2018	526	24.0	21.9	51.7
2019	476	28.5	16.7	53.6
2020	487	26.8	18.1	54
2021	450	25.6	17.5	53.6
2022	426	24.2	17.6	58
2023	462	21.6	21.3	59.1

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 Grayson Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,158 (10.0%)	$10,394 (90.0%)	$11,553
2020	$966 (8.7%)	$10,106 (91.3%)	$11,072
2021	$1,398 (11.9%)	$10,363 (88.1%)	$11,761
2022	$1,486 (11.8%)	$11,068 (88.2%)	$12,554
2023	$2,282 (15.6%)	$12,393 (84.4%)	$14,675

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Grayson Elementary

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 837^th of 1408 Elementary schools	Ranks 892^nd of 1470 Elementary schools	1.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Grayson Elementary)	53.5	37	16.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Waterford School District)	44.8	38.6	6.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.1	40.9	4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Grayson Elementary)	39.4	37	2.4%
3rd Grade Math (Waterford School District)	37.1	34.8	2.3%
3rd Grade Math (Michigan)	46.7	42.9	3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Grayson Elementary)	46.6	40.5	6.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Waterford School District)	50.9	43.9	7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.8	44.3	1.5%
4th Grade Math (Grayson Elementary)	26	31.1	5.1%
4th Grade Math (Waterford School District)	44.2	37.9	6.3%
4th Grade Math (Michigan)	41.8	38.6	3.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Grayson Elementary)	41.1	44.8	3.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Waterford School District)	41.9	46	4.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	46.2	43.9	2.3%
5th Grade Math (Grayson Elementary)	39.3	27.6	11.7%
5th Grade Math (Waterford School District)	28.3	26.7	1.6%
5th Grade Math (Michigan)	34.8	31.5	3.3%
5th Grade Social Studies (Grayson Elementary)	10.7	12.1	1.4%
5th Grade Social Studies (Waterford School District)	15.1	14.9	0.2%
5th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)	17.4	18.6	1.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	476	462	2.9%
African American	43	47	9.3%
American Indian	1	3	200%
Asian	13	9	30.8%
Hispanic	75	80	6.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	314	294	6.4%
Two or More Races	30	29	3.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	53.6%	59.1%	5.5%

Schools Near Grayson Elementary

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 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Grayson Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	3800 W Walton Blvd	Waterford	48329	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(248) 674-0200	462	22	21.3	59.1%	294 (63.6%)	47 (10.2%)	80 (17.3%)	9 (1.9%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.3%)	37.9	887^th of 1486 public elementary schools	40.3%		37.2	892^nd of 1470 public elementary schools	39.3%	5			42.5	47.2	34.7			54.1	34.7	12.2			25.7		5.4		$14,675	$2,282	$12,393
Waterford Montessori Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	4860 Midland Ave	Waterford	48329	Oakland County	Waterford Montessori Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(248) 674-2400	191	13	14.4	32.5%	137 (71.7%)	9 (4.7%)	30 (15.7%)	3 (1.6%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (5.8%)	23	1125^th of 1486 public elementary schools	24.3%		27.8	1025^th of 1470 public elementary schools	30.3%	100			30.8	20.0	37.0			23.1	14.3				33.3				$12,156	$755	$11,401
Cooley Elementary School	Public	K-5	2000 Highfield Rd	Waterford	48329	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 673-0300	408	20	20.1	54.4%	302 (74.0%)	34 (8.3%)	49 (12.0%)	11 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.9%)	64.3	494^th of 1486 public elementary schools	66.8%		69.6	396^th of 1470 public elementary schools	73.1%	98			47.3	47.5	46.3			54.5	47.5	37.0			53.7		25.9		$15,594	$2,409	$13,185
North Sashabaw Elementary School	Public	K-5	5290 Maybee Rd	Clarkston	48346	Oakland County	Clarkston Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 623-4100	294	34	8.5	63.3%	187 (63.6%)	6 (2.0%)	64 (21.8%)	8 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (9.9%)	44.9	767^th of 1486 public elementary schools	48.4%		52.7	651^st of 1470 public elementary schools	55.7%	116			51.3	22.6	42.6			42.5	24.5	37.5			45.8		18.8		$20,034	$1,636	$18,398
Pine Knob Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6020 Sashabaw Rd	Clarkston	48346	Oakland County	Clarkston Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 623-3901	471	40	11.6	30.1%	354 (75.2%)	37 (7.9%)	48 (10.2%)	9 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.9%)	83.5	212^th of 1486 public elementary schools	85.7%		81.6	234^th of 1470 public elementary schools	84.1%	22			58.3	56.6	57.4			75.3	56.6	49.2			57.4		42.6		$15,439	$1,194	$14,245
Schoolcraft Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6400 Maceday Dr	Waterford	48329	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 623-6211	403	25	16.2	57.8%	317 (78.7%)	13 (3.2%)	43 (10.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.9%)	68.6	432^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	70.9%		69.2	405^th of 1470 public elementary schools	72.4%	27			52.6	69.5	59.7			56.1	68.9	53.9			38.2		7.9		$16,767	$2,677	$14,090
Riverside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5280 Farm Rd	Waterford	48327	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 674-0805	317	23	14.0	75.1%	204 (64.4%)	46 (14.5%)	48 (15.1%)	7 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.8%)	22.6	1135^th of 1486 public elementary schools	23.6%		33.9	938^th of 1470 public elementary schools	36.2%	197			24.5	32.4	35.4			26.4	33.3	14.3			22.4		6.1		$18,683	$3,936	$14,747
Alcott School	Public	K-5	460 W Kennett Rd	Pontiac	48340	Oakland County	Pontiac City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 451-7910	180	9	19.1	86.1%	12 (6.7%)	77 (42.8%)	71 (39.4%)	12 (6.7%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.3%)	11	1325^th of 1486 public elementary schools	10.8%		11.7	1287^th of 1470 public elementary schools	12.4%	38			14.3	14.3	24.2			12.5	18.6	12.5			17.5				$20,773	$8,635	$12,138
Owen Elementary School	Public	K-6	1700 Baldwin Ave	Pontiac	48340	Oakland County	Pontiac City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 451-7870	289	19	15.6	85.1%	20 (6.9%)	149 (51.6%)	95 (32.9%)	9 (3.1%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.8%)	6.3	1431^st of 1486 public elementary schools	3.7%		12.3	1274^th of 1470 public elementary schools	13.3%	157			8.7	10.4	13.5				13.7	7.1			7.1				$20,249	$7,730	$12,519
Waterford Montessori Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	4350 Elizabeth Lake Rd	Waterford	48328	Oakland County	Waterford Montessori Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(248) 674-2400	211	15	14.2	43.1%	150 (71.1%)	17 (8.1%)	21 (10.0%)	2 (0.9%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (9.0%)	48.7	718^th of 1486 public elementary schools	51.7%		69.4	403^rd of 1470 public elementary schools	72.6%	315	85.2	37.0	32.1	66.7		52.3	72.0	28.6	53.3		13.6	36.0		70.4		38.5	$8,695	$949	$7,745

Frequently Asked Questions about Grayson Elementary

What district is Grayson Elementary in?

Waterford School District

How many students attend Grayson Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 462 students attended Grayson Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Grayson Elementary?

Students at Grayson Elementary are 64% White, 17% Hispanic, 10% African American, 6% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Is Grayson Elementary a good school?

Grayson Elementary ranks 887^th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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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.