Enrollment
405
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Detroit, MI
Palmer Park Preparatory Academy
Federal NCES profile for Palmer Park Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260110301293
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palmer Park Preparatory Academy earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 80% of Michigan schools.
- #29 of 75
- schools in Detroit · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.5:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 70.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Palmer Park Preparatory Academy has class sizes smaller than 80% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palmer Park Preparatory Academy ranks #29 of 75 schools in Detroit, MI.
School address
District: Detroit Public Schools Community District · Michigan
NCES ID 260110301293 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.8%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Palmer Park Preparatory Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy
Palmer Park Preparatory Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Detroit, Michigan, enrolling 405 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 70.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 405 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 523 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #244.
Its student body is predominantly African American (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 405 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 76.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Detroit Public Schools Community District spends $21,771 per pupil, 61% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Detroit's public schools, it stands alongside Earhart Elementarymiddle School (1,002 students): Palmer Park Preparatory Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.5:1 vs 20.4:1).
Detroit Public Schools Community District also operates Cass Technical High School (2,493 students) and Western International High School (1,959 students) alongside Palmer Park Preparatory Academy.
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 Palmer Park Preparatory Academy compares
Palmer Park 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 | 13.5:1 | ▼ 23% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.8% | ▲ 30% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 405 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
405
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 23% below state mean
Top 20% in Michigan - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
76.3%
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
$21,771
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 405 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
36
in-school suspensions + 30 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 84.0%
White 11.9%
Two or More 2.5%
Hispanic or Latino 0.7%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 84.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.0, Palmer Park Preparatory Academy is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Detroit Public Schools Community District, which includes Palmer Park Preparatory Academy.
$21,771
Per student
+61%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
+31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.1%
State 41.7%
Federal 19.1%
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.
How Palmer Park Preparatory Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cass Technical High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Western International High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Renaissance High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Earhart Elementarymiddle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Martin Luther King Jr Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palmer Park Preparatory Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,493
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,959
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,197
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,002
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 976
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
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 (~405 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Palmer Park Preparatory Academy's federal record.
- Compare Palmer Park Preparatory Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Detroit Public Schools Community District'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 Palmer Park Preparatory Academy
How many students attend Palmer Park Preparatory Academy?
Palmer Park Preparatory Academy has 405 students enrolled. It is a public school in Detroit, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy is 13.5:1, which is 23% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 14% lower 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 Palmer Park Preparatory Academy?
70.8% of students at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palmer Park Preparatory Academy?
The largest demographic group at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy is African American at 84.0% of enrollment, in Detroit, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palmer Park Preparatory Academy?
Palmer Park Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Palmer Park Preparatory Academy rank among schools in Detroit?
By Resource Investment Index, Palmer Park Preparatory Academy ranks #29 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 Palmer Park Preparatory Academy a good school?
Palmer Park Preparatory Academy earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 80% of 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 Detroit Public Schools Community District?
Besides Palmer Park Preparatory Academy, Detroit Public Schools Community District also operates Cass Technical High School (2,493 students), Western International High School (1,959 students), and Renaissance High School (1,197 students). See the Detroit Public Schools Community District district page for the complete list.
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.