Enrollment
362
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Detroit, MI
Macdowell Preparatory Academy
Federal NCES profile for Macdowell Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260103304769Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Macdowell Preparatory Academy earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #49 of 75
- schools in Detroit · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.2:1
- students per teacher
- 97.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Macdowell Preparatory Academy has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Macdowell Preparatory Academy ranks #49 of 75 schools in Detroit, MI.
School address
District: Macdowell Preparatory Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260103304769 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
97.6%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+80% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Macdowell Preparatory Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Macdowell Preparatory Academy
Macdowell Preparatory Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Detroit, Michigan, enrolling 362 students.
At 17.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Michigan median, within a few percentage points of the 17.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 97.6% of students qualify for free meals, 80% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 362 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 252 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #172.
Its student body is predominantly African American (99% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 2/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 68.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Macdowell Preparatory Academy spends $9,482 per pupil, 30% below the Michigan average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 23.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Detroit's public schools, it stands alongside Earhart Elementarymiddle School (1,002 students): Macdowell Preparatory Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.2:1 vs 20.4:1).
Macdowell Preparatory Academy is a single-school charter district, so Macdowell Preparatory Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Macdowell Preparatory Academy compares
Macdowell Preparatory Academy on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.2:1 | ▼ 2% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 97.6% | ▲ 80% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 362 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
362
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
97.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 80% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 55% in Michigan - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
68.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$9,482
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 99.2%
Hispanic or Latino 0.6%
White 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 99.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 1.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 1.6, Macdowell Preparatory Academy is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Macdowell Preparatory Academy, which includes Macdowell Preparatory Academy.
$9,482
Per student
-30%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-43%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 1.9%
State 75.1%
Federal 23.0%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
Similar other schools in Detroit
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Earhart Elementarymiddle School
Standard public school
1,002 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Munger Elementarymiddle School
Standard public school
954 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Mackenzie Elementarymiddle School
Standard public school
876 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
University Preparatory Art Design Middlehigh
Standard public school
855 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Davison Elementarymiddle School
Standard public school
765 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Hope of Detroit Academy Middlehigh
Standard public school
582 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~362 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Macdowell Preparatory Academy's federal record.
- Compare Macdowell Preparatory Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Macdowell Preparatory Academy's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Macdowell Preparatory Academy
How many students attend Macdowell Preparatory Academy?
Macdowell Preparatory Academy has 362 students enrolled. It is a public school in Detroit, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Macdowell Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Macdowell Preparatory Academy is 17.2:1, which is 2% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Macdowell Preparatory Academy?
97.6% of students at Macdowell Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Macdowell Preparatory Academy?
The largest demographic group at Macdowell Preparatory Academy is African American at 99.2% of enrollment, in Detroit, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Macdowell Preparatory Academy?
Macdowell Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Macdowell Preparatory Academy rank among schools in Detroit?
By Resource Investment Index, Macdowell Preparatory Academy ranks #49 of 75 schools in Detroit, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Detroit on the city page.
Is Macdowell Preparatory Academy a good school?
Macdowell Preparatory Academy earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Macdowell Preparatory Academy?
None; Macdowell Preparatory Academy is a single-school charter district, and Macdowell Preparatory Academy is its only campus.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.