Detroit Leadership Academy

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Detroit, Michigan - 2 schools

An equity score of 61/100 ranks Detroit Leadership Academy #172 of 702 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,894 per pupil, Detroit Leadership Academy ranks #303 of 812 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

742
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$14,894
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Detroit Leadership Academy operates 2 public schools serving 742 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Wayne County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,894 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 812 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending. See how Michigan compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 9.7% local, 68.7% state, and 21.5% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 61/100, ranked #172 of 702 in Michigan against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 271:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 78.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 96.5% African American, 0.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% White across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Detroit Leadership Academy K8, enrolling 486 students (64% of the district's total enrollment).

Detroit Leadership Academy K8 accounts for 64.2% of all Detroit Leadership Academy student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Detroit Leadership Academy a distant remainder — means Detroit Leadership Academy-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Detroit Leadership Academy reports 95.7% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is above 87.5%, so economic need is widespread across the measured student population. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Detroit Leadership Academy student-counselor ratio is 271:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Detroit Leadership Academy is typically wider than the Detroit Leadership Academy-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Detroit Leadership Academy chronic absenteeism rate is 78.0% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

21.5%
Federal
68.7%
State
9.7%
Local

Funding Equity

61
Equity Score
172 / 702
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Detroit Leadership Academy.

White 0.8%
Hispanic or Latino 0.9%
African American 96.5%
Multiracial 1.3%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

271:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
78.0%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Detroit Leadership Academy

School Enrollment
Detroit Leadership Academy K8
Charter
486
Detroit Leadership Academy High School
Charter
271

How Detroit Leadership Academy Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Michigan Mathematics and Science Academy Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
East Jordan Public Schools Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Great Oaks Academy Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Capac Community Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Legacy Charter Academy Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Detroit Leadership Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Michigan

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Utica Community Schools
25,744 students · 38 schools · $14,295/pupil
Compare vs Detroit Leadership Academy →
Dearborn City School District
20,128 students · 37 schools · $18,204/pupil
Compare vs Detroit Leadership Academy →
Ann Arbor Public Schools
17,026 students · 32 schools · $19,271/pupil
Compare vs Detroit Leadership Academy →
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
16,294 students · 25 schools · $14,974/pupil
Compare vs Detroit Leadership Academy →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Detroit Leadership Academy

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Detroit Public Schools Community District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Detroit Leadership Academy?

Detroit Leadership Academy has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 742 students.

How much does Detroit Leadership Academy spend per student?

Detroit Leadership Academy spends $14,894 per student. The district has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #172 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Detroit Leadership Academy?

Detroit Leadership Academy students are 96.5% African American, 0.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% White, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Detroit Leadership Academy?

Detroit Leadership Academy has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #172 out of 702 districts in Michigan.