Is Congress Elementary a good school?

Congress Elementary ranks 679 th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Congress Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 182 students attended Congress Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Congress Elementary?

Students at Congress Elementary are 39% White, 28% African American, 24% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Congress Elementary attend?

Students who attend Congress Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Alger Middle School Middle : Blandford School Middle : Center for Economicology Middle : John Ball Park Zoo School High : City MiddleHigh High : Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy High : Innovation Central High High : Ottawa Hills High School

Congress Elementary

Summary:

Congress Elementary is a public elementary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, serving 191 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. The school has a diverse student population and has shown relatively strong academic performance compared to the Grand Rapids Public Schools district and the state of Michigan, but faces challenges with increasing chronic absenteeism.

Congress Elementary stands out for its diverse student population, with 37.17% White, 27.23% African American, and 27.75% Hispanic students. Academically, the school has outperformed the district and state averages in English Language Arts and Math proficiency for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. However, the school's performance for its Low Socioeconomic Status (SES) student subgroup has been more concerning, ranking 739 out of 1,381 Michigan elementary schools in the 2023-2024 school year. The school's spending per student has also increased steadily, from $11,905 in 2019-2020 to $16,416 in 2022-2023.

While Congress Elementary performs well within the Grand Rapids Public Schools district, it lags behind schools in higher-performing districts, such as East Grand Rapids Public Schools. For example, Wealthy School in the East Grand Rapids district had significantly higher proficiency rates in ELA and Math compared to Congress Elementary. Additionally, Congress Elementary has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 17.6% in 2019-2020 to 35.4% in 2022-2023, which is an area of concern that requires attention and intervention.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

940 Baldwin St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1429

(616) 819-2201

District: Grand Rapids Public Schools

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,416

Students who attend Congress Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Alger Middle School
	Blandford School
	Center for Economicology
	John Ball Park Zoo School
High:	City MiddleHigh
	Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
	Innovation Central High
	Ottawa Hills High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.4

Number of students: 182

Racial breakdown:

White:

39.0%

African American:

28.0%

Hispanic:

24.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 69.2%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Congress Elementary ranks better than 54.3% of elementary schools in Michigan. It also ranks 3^rd among 20 ranked elementary schools in the Grand Rapids Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.07. (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 Student population at Congress Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (39%), African American (28%), Hispanic (24.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 69.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Congress Elementary is 14.4, which is the 7^th best among 20 elementary schools in the Grand Rapids Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Congress Elementary employs 12.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Congress Elementary is $16,416. 15 elementary schools in the Grand Rapids Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Congress Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Congress Elementary 679^th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Congress Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Grand Rapids Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Grand Rapids Public Schools 471^st of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Congress Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Congress Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	2.56	1532^nd	1545	0.8%
2007	5.64	1532^nd	1565	2.1%
2008	18.00	1431^st	1577	9.3%
2009	23.58	1388^th	1589	12.6%
2010	7.08	1506^th	1552	3.0%
2011	11.45	1463^rd	1552	5.7%
2012	11.50	1458^th	1566	6.9%
2013	22.58	1283^rd	1563	17.9%
2014	31.35	1141^st	1533	25.6%
2015	22.05	1262^nd	1580	20.1%
2016	28.82	1128^th	1548	27.1%
2017	22.11	1131^st	1466	22.9%
2018	30.87	1068^th	1448	26.2%
2019	27.05	1024^th	1408	27.3%
2021	70.27	272^nd	1153	76.4%
2022	61.53	458^th	1344	65.9%
2023	58.73	567^th	1470	61.4%
2024	52.07	679^th	1486	54.3%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Congress Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	36.64	950^th	1397	32.0%
2022	40.00	646^th	1099	41.2%
2023	30.81	945^th	1350	30.0%
2024	43.93	739^th	1381	46.5%

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

Rank History for Female students at Congress Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	24.82	1112^th	1443	22.9%
2022	48.76	539^th	1106	51.3%
2023	64.36	396^th	1321	70.0%
2024	53.75	561^st	1342	58.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Congress Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	38.24	937^th	1446	35.2%
2023	53.36	582^nd	1334	56.4%
2024	66.76	399^th	1347	70.4%

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

Rank History for African American students at Congress Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	42.09	253^rd	475	46.7%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Congress Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	50.02	94^th	222	57.7%

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

Rank History for White students at Congress Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	89.13	81^st	1198	93.2%

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

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Enrollment information for Congress Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2004	11	116	2	78	1	n/a	n/a	0	208
2005	9	100	2	66	3	n/a	n/a	7	187
2006	13	82	0	69	4	n/a	n/a	14	182
2007	22	98	0	85	2	n/a	n/a	22	229
2008	22	65	n/a	67	3	n/a	n/a	24	181
2009	23	102	1	83	3	n/a	n/a	31	243
2010	19	104	2	17	3	n/a	n/a	99	244
2011	21	100	1	84	3	0	18	0	227
2012	27	84	1	79	2	0	13	0	206
2013	19	56	0	84	0	0	14	0	173
2014	27	57	1	70	0	0	12	0	167
2015	27	52	0	67	0	2	9	0	157
2016	40	64	0	59	1	2	10	0	176
2017	51	59	0	53	1	2	15	0	181
2018	78	69	1	47	0	0	17	0	212
2019	96	71	1	45	0	0	20	0	233
2020	102	73	0	40	0	0	21	0	236
2021	75	61	0	38	0	0	20	0	194
2022	66	50	1	45	0	0	10	0	172
2023	71	52	7	53	0	0	8	0	191
2024	71	51	2	44	1	0	13	0	182

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 Congress Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	208	13.7	15.2	96.6
2005	187	15.6	12.0	100
2006	182	11.4	16.0	106.5
2007	229	15.2	15.1	103.4
2008	181	16.1	11.2	113.4
2009	243	14.5	16.8	113.2
2010	244	15.0	16.2	164.1
2011	227	17.6	12.8	96
2012	206	15.1	13.6	97.6
2013	173	14.4	12.0	96.5
2014	167	11.1	15.0	94
2015	157	11.0	14.2	92.4
2016	176	10.0	17.6	90.3
2017	181	10.4	17.4	77.3
2018	212	14.1	15.0	71.7
2019	233	13.7	17.0	63.9
2020	236	14.5	16.2	56.8
2021	194	14.4	13.4	64.9
2022	172	10.6	16.2	61
2023	191	10.5	18.1	67
2024	182	12.6	14.4	69.2

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 Congress Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	208	13.7	15.2	96.6
2005	187	15.6	12.0	100
2006	182	11.4	16.0	106.5
2007	229	15.2	15.1	103.4
2008	181	16.1	11.2	113.4
2009	243	14.5	16.8	113.2
2010	244	15.0	16.2	164.1
2011	227	17.6	12.8	96
2012	206	15.1	13.6	97.6
2013	173	14.4	12.0	96.5
2014	167	11.1	15.0	94
2015	157	11.0	14.2	92.4
2016	176	10.0	17.6	90.3
2017	181	10.4	17.4	77.3
2018	212	14.1	15.0	71.7
2019	233	13.7	17.0	63.9
2020	236	14.5	16.2	56.8
2021	194	14.4	13.4	64.9
2022	172	10.6	16.2	61
2023	191	10.5	18.1	67
2024	182	12.6	14.4	69.2

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 Congress Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,684 (14.3%)	$10,067 (85.7%)	$11,752
2020	$1,667 (14.0%)	$10,238 (86.0%)	$11,905
2021	$2,318 (16.4%)	$11,840 (83.6%)	$14,159
2022	$3,773 (24.2%)	$11,797 (75.8%)	$15,570
2023	$3,566 (21.7%)	$12,850 (78.3%)	$16,416

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Congress 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 1024^th of 1408 Elementary schools	Ranks 567^th of 1470 Elementary schools	34.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Congress Elementary)	48.4	42.1	6.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Grand Rapids Public Schools)	28.2	21.4	6.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.1	40.9	4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Congress Elementary)	34.4	41	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Grand Rapids Public Schools)	26.8	17.9	8.9%
3rd Grade Math (Michigan)	46.7	42.9	3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Congress Elementary)	30.8	60.6	29.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Grand Rapids Public Schools)	24.4	25.4	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.8	44.3	1.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Congress Elementary)	34.5	47.1	12.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Grand Rapids Public Schools)	26.7	24.5	2.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	46.2	43.9	2.3%
5th Grade Math (Congress Elementary)	12.5	42.9	30.4%
5th Grade Math (Grand Rapids Public Schools)	13.5	11.9	1.6%
5th Grade Math (Michigan)	34.8	31.5	3.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	233	191	18%
African American	71	52	26.8%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	1	7	600%
Hispanic	45	53	17.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	96	71	26%
Two or More Races	20	8	60%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	63.9%	67%	3.1%

Schools Near Congress 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)	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	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 7th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Congress Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	940 Baldwin St SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2201	182	13	14.4	69.2%	71 (39.0%)	51 (28.0%)	44 (24.2%)	2 (1.1%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (7.1%)	52.1	679^th of 1486 public elementary schools	54.3%		58.7	567^th of 1470 public elementary schools	61.4%	112		32.0	48.7	60.0		20.0	41.5	29.0		50.0		21.9	$16,416	$3,567	$12,850
William C Abney Academy Elementary	Public, Magnet, Charter	K-6	1435 Fulton St E	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	William C. Abney Academy	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	(616) 454-5541	292	24	12.1	100.0%	2 (0.7%)	266 (91.1%)	9 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (4.5%)								(n/a)			16.7	9.8									$14,573	$4,069	$10,505
Martin Luther King Leadership Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	645 Logan St SE	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2600	268	20	13.6	96.3%	21 (7.8%)	194 (72.4%)	45 (16.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.0%)								(n/a)			15.0				7.7						$15,912	$4,056	$11,856
Campus Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	710 Benjamin Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2535	233	14	16.7	95.7%	13 (5.6%)	163 (70.0%)	33 (14.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (10.3%)								(n/a)				14.3									$16,243	$4,399	$11,844
Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	409 Lafayette Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center	Yes	No	No	Yes	(616) 459-0330	285	16	17.8	34.0%	194 (68.1%)	33 (11.6%)	35 (12.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (7.7%)	84.3	202^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	86.4%		82.5	222^nd of 1470 public elementary schools	84.9%	20		50.0	65.0	75.0		52.1	57.5	52.3		72.7		43.2	$11,781	$1,124	$10,657
Gerald R Ford Academic Center	Public	PK, KG-8	851 Madison Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2640	230	13	17.1	89.6%	5 (2.2%)	128 (55.7%)	92 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.2%)	27	1068^th of 1486 public elementary schools	28.1%		25.3	1067^th of 1470 public elementary schools	27.4%	1	43.8	36.1	21.7	17.9	57.1	41.7			28.6	14.3	18.8		$17,673	$3,832	$13,840
Gerald Dawkins Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	1050 Fisk St SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Gerald Dawkins Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(517) 281-8626	66	7	9.4	89.4%	0 (0.0%)	55 (83.3%)	3 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (12.1%)								(n/a)		41.2				23.5
Coit Creative Arts Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	617 Coit Ave NE	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2390	241	20	12.1	77.2%	83 (34.4%)	74 (30.7%)	46 (19.1%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (14.5%)	38.2	881^st of 1486 public elementary schools	40.7%		24.8	1082^nd of 1470 public elementary schools	26.4%	201		50.0	33.3	39.0		48.7	12.1	20.0		31.7		15.0	$18,473	$4,108	$14,365
Wealthy School	Public	K-5	1961 Lake Dr SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	East Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 235-7550	466	26	17.9	7.7%	381 (81.8%)	16 (3.4%)	20 (4.3%)	7 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (9.0%)	91.7	84^th of 1486 public elementary schools	94.3%		93.5	59^th of 1470 public elementary schools	96.0%	25		75.7	79.8	56.6		77.1	75.0	55.4		66.7		40.5	$11,902	$788	$11,115
East Leonard Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	410 Barnett St NE	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2525	174	7	23.5	96.0%	19 (10.9%)	103 (59.2%)	38 (21.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (7.5%)								(n/a)													$19,682	$5,976	$13,706

Congress Elementary

Congress Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Grand Rapids Public Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Congress Elementary

Rank History for all students at Congress Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Congress Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Congress Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Congress Elementary

Rank History for African American students at Congress Elementary

Rank History for Hispanic students at Congress Elementary

Rank History for White students at Congress Elementary

Enrollment information for Congress Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Congress Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Congress Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Congress Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Congress Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Congress Elementary

Frequently Asked Questions about Congress Elementary

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