Macdowell Preparatory 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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Detroit, Michigan - 1 schools

An equity score of 47/100 ranks Macdowell Preparatory Academy #390 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $9,482 per pupil, Macdowell Preparatory Academy ranks #786 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

368
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$9,482
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Macdowell Preparatory Academy operates 1 public schools serving 368 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 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 $9,482 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 83 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending. See how Michigan compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 1.9% local, 75.1% state, and 23.0% 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 47/100, ranked #390 of 707 in Michigan against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

and 68.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 99.2% African American, 0.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% White across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Macdowell Preparatory Academy, enrolling 362 students (100% of the district's total enrollment).

Macdowell Preparatory Academy accounts for 98.4% of all Macdowell Preparatory Academy student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Macdowell Preparatory Academy a distant remainder — means Macdowell Preparatory Academy-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Macdowell Preparatory Academy has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 97.6% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is a supermajority of the population — well past the 75% concentration-grant threshold that unlocks extra funding on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Macdowell Preparatory Academy chronic absenteeism rate is 68.5% — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

23.0%
Federal
75.1%
State
1.9%
Local

Funding Equity

47
Equity Score
390 / 707
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 1 schools in Macdowell Preparatory Academy.

Hispanic or Latino 0.6%
African American 99.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

68.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Macdowell Preparatory Academy

School Enrollment
Macdowell Preparatory Academy
Charter
362

How Macdowell Preparatory Academy Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
George Washington Carver Academy Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
University Yes Academy Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Wexford-Missaukee Isd Similar size No spending data More locally funded
Peck Community School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Lake Linden-Hubbell School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Macdowell Preparatory 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 · $12,513/pupil
Compare vs Macdowell Preparatory Academy →
Dearborn City School District
20,128 students · 37 schools · $16,677/pupil
Compare vs Macdowell Preparatory Academy →
Ann Arbor Public Schools
17,026 students · 32 schools · $17,642/pupil
Compare vs Macdowell Preparatory Academy →

Compare Macdowell Preparatory 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 Macdowell Preparatory Academy?

Macdowell Preparatory Academy has 1 school, including 1 combined. Total enrollment is 368 students.

How much does Macdowell Preparatory Academy spend per student?

Macdowell Preparatory Academy spends $9,482 per student. The district has an equity score of 47/100, ranking #390 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Macdowell Preparatory Academy?

Macdowell Preparatory Academy students are 99.2% African American, 0.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% White, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Macdowell Preparatory Academy?

Macdowell Preparatory Academy has an equity score of 47/100, ranking #390 out of 707 districts in Michigan.