Northwest Elementary School

Summary:

Northwest Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades 3-5 in the Northwest Community Schools district in Jackson, Michigan. The school has a student population of 778 and is rated 1 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger.

Northwest Elementary has seen significant challenges in recent years. The school has experienced high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 13.3% to 42.2%, which is notably higher than the state and district averages. Academically, the school's performance on state assessments is consistently below state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, the school's 3rd-grade English Language Arts proficiency rate was 30.6% in 2023-2024, compared to the state average of 39.6% and the district average of 30.6%. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting a higher proportion of students from low-income families.

When compared to nearby schools, Northwest Elementary stands out as one of the lower-performing schools in the area. Paragon Charter Academy, located within 5 miles of Northwest Elementary, consistently outperforms the school across various academic measures. Northwest Elementary's performance on student subgroups is also concerning, with the Hispanic and Multi-racial student subgroups performing particularly poorly compared to their peers statewide. Despite the school's relatively high spending per student, ranging from $9,178 to $11,450 over the past few years, these resources do not seem to be translating into improved academic outcomes.


Detail:

Public 3-5

 3757 Lansing Ave
       Jackson, MI  49202-1015


(517) 817-4704

District: Northwest Community Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
1084th of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,450 Help


Students who attend Northwest Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Northwest Kidder Middle School
High:    Northwest High School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.6 Help
Number of students:  757

Racial breakdown:

White:
78.7%
Two or more races:
9.9%
Hispanic:
7.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  59.6% Help


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 Compare Northwest Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Northwest Elementary School ranks worse than 72.9% of elementary schools in Michigan. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25.73. (See more...)
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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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (78.7%), two or more races (9.9%), Hispanic (7.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 59.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northwest Elementary School is 16.6. (See more...)
Help
Compare Northwest Elementary School employs 45.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northwest Elementary School is $11,450.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Northwest Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Northwest Elementary School 1084th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Northwest Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Northwest Community Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Northwest Community Schools 466th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Northwest Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 75.63 278th 1545 82.0%
2007 70.33 441st 1565 71.8%
2008 69.66 505th 1577 68.0%
2009 63.75 701st 1589 55.9%
2010 58.54 896th 1552 42.3%
2011 55.81 882nd 1552 43.2%
2012 52.30 796th 1566 49.2%
2013 48.16 874th 1563 44.1%
2014 48.81 852nd 1533 44.4%
2015 55.15 708th 1580 55.2%
2016 58.28 633rd 1548 59.1%
2017 37.31 912th 1466 37.8%
2018 43.44 894th 1448 38.3%
2019 32.96 943rd 1408 33.0%
2021 23.76 902nd 1153 21.8%
2022 27.67 964th 1344 28.3%
2023 27.57 1030th 1470 29.9%
2024 25.73 1084th 1486 27.1%
See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.57 36th 81 55.6%
2019 16.02 4th 5 20.0%
2022 13.15 10th 10 0.0%
2023 11.49 79th 81 2.5%
2024 11.53 74th 78 5.1%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.15 291st 403 27.8%
2024 9.93 221st 225 1.8%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.59 898th 1397 35.7%
2019 34.55 790th 1134 30.3%
2021 30.41 562nd 749 25.0%
2022 29.18 808th 1099 26.5%
2023 22.76 1075th 1350 20.4%
2024 22.07 1117th 1381 19.1%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.36 13th 17 23.5%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.57 867th 1443 39.9%
2019 27.58 875th 1171 25.3%
2021 19.55 785th 902 13.0%
2022 20.89 916th 1106 17.2%
2023 23.91 1003rd 1321 24.1%
2024 19.60 1097th 1342 18.3%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.05 871st 1446 39.8%
2019 28.95 867th 1196 27.5%
2021 16.31 810th 915 11.5%
2022 23.17 882nd 1139 22.6%
2023 23.03 1019th 1334 23.6%
2024 25.78 994th 1347 26.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.99 143rd 222 35.6%
2019 63.09 25th 86 70.9%
2023 29.69 133rd 188 29.3%
2024 27.77 152nd 201 24.4%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.25 891st 1253 28.9%
2019 26.37 877th 1128 22.3%
2021 22.01 830th 1005 17.4%
2022 21.66 907th 1102 17.7%
2023 18.99 1017th 1198 15.1%
2024 16.91 1058th 1204 12.1%
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.

Northwest Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Northwest Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 659 5 6 0 0 n/a n/a 0 670
1989 701 11 2 1 2 n/a n/a -1 716
1990 644 9 3 1 1 n/a n/a 0 658
1991 660 10 4 1 1 n/a n/a 0 676
1992 678 13 2 7 1 n/a n/a 0 701
1993 651 13 4 6 3 n/a n/a 0 677
1994 668 12 6 7 1 n/a n/a 0 694
1995 637 11 2 4 0 n/a n/a 0 654
1996 637 11 2 4 0 n/a n/a 0 654
1997 627 10 4 8 0 n/a n/a 0 649
1998 561 9 6 8 0 n/a n/a 0 584
1999 548 12 7 6 0 n/a n/a 0 573
2000 579 13 5 5 1 n/a n/a 0 603
2001 584 10 4 11 2 n/a n/a 0 611
2002 523 14 7 18 1 n/a n/a 0 563
2003 523 14 7 18 1 n/a n/a 0 563
2004 470 16 7 13 3 n/a n/a 0 509
2005 459 22 6 12 1 n/a n/a 0 500
2006 455 16 7 13 1 n/a n/a 0 492
2007 435 18 12 25 1 n/a n/a 0 491
2008 407 16 4 26 n/a n/a n/a 0 453
2009 377 30 1 15 2 n/a n/a 0 425
2010 580 43 7 21 3 n/a n/a 0 654
2011 513 25 8 17 0 0 29 0 592
2012 500 19 11 19 0 0 23 0 572
2013 524 14 7 17 1 0 20 0 583
2014 567 13 7 21 1 1 16 0 626
2015 560 14 3 30 2 1 27 0 637
2016 599 16 6 35 1 2 31 0 690
2017 580 21 7 41 1 1 54 0 705
2018 609 25 8 48 2 1 62 0 755
2019 626 26 9 56 0 0 81 0 798
2020 654 30 11 52 1 0 80 0 828
2021 620 36 9 53 2 0 79 0 799
2022 603 36 7 47 2 0 95 0 790
2023 591 36 6 56 1 0 88 0 778
2024 596 26 5 55 0 0 75 0 757

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 Northwest Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 670 n/a n/a n/a
1989 716 n/a n/a 13.7
1990 658 37.0 17.7 13.7
1991 676 n/a n/a n/a
1992 701 n/a n/a 23.5
1993 677 n/a 0.0 24.4
1994 694 34.0 20.4 20.5
1995 654 32.0 20.4 19.4
1996 654 32.0 20.4 19.4
1997 649 32.0 20.3 18
1998 584 26.0 22.5 18.7
1999 573 26.0 22.0 15.2
2000 603 30.0 20.1 28.5
2001 611 32.0 19.1 33.6
2002 563 n/a n/a 34.3
2003 563 n/a n/a 34.3
2004 509 27.0 18.9 32.2
2005 500 28.0 17.9 37.4
2006 492 28.0 17.6 36.2
2007 491 28.0 17.5 23.4
2008 453 24.0 18.9 42.4
2009 425 26.0 16.3 50.6
2010 654 33.0 19.8 47.2
2011 592 28.0 21.1 51.7
2012 572 27.3 20.9 50.7
2013 583 29.0 20.1 51.1
2014 626 30.0 20.8 46.3
2015 637 33.0 19.3 49.1
2016 690 36.0 19.1 46.1
2017 705 36.0 19.5 56.7
2018 755 39.0 19.3 62.5
2019 798 40.0 19.9 64.7
2020 828 40.0 20.6 68.1
2021 799 41.2 19.3 64.5
2022 790 40.6 19.4 60.4
2023 778 47.2 16.4 52.7
2024 757 45.3 16.6 59.6

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 Northwest Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 670 n/a n/a n/a
1989 716 n/a n/a 13.7
1990 658 37.0 17.7 13.7
1991 676 n/a n/a n/a
1992 701 n/a n/a 23.5
1993 677 n/a 0.0 24.4
1994 694 34.0 20.4 20.5
1995 654 32.0 20.4 19.4
1996 654 32.0 20.4 19.4
1997 649 32.0 20.3 18
1998 584 26.0 22.5 18.7
1999 573 26.0 22.0 15.2
2000 603 30.0 20.1 28.5
2001 611 32.0 19.1 33.6
2002 563 n/a n/a 34.3
2003 563 n/a n/a 34.3
2004 509 27.0 18.9 32.2
2005 500 28.0 17.9 37.4
2006 492 28.0 17.6 36.2
2007 491 28.0 17.5 23.4
2008 453 24.0 18.9 42.4
2009 425 26.0 16.3 50.6
2010 654 33.0 19.8 47.2
2011 592 28.0 21.1 51.7
2012 572 27.3 20.9 50.7
2013 583 29.0 20.1 51.1
2014 626 30.0 20.8 46.3
2015 637 33.0 19.3 49.1
2016 690 36.0 19.1 46.1
2017 705 36.0 19.5 56.7
2018 755 39.0 19.3 62.5
2019 798 40.0 19.9 64.7
2020 828 40.0 20.6 68.1
2021 799 41.2 19.3 64.5
2022 790 40.6 19.4 60.4
2023 778 47.2 16.4 52.7
2024 757 45.3 16.6 59.6

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 Northwest Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $826 (9.3%) $8,019 (90.7%) $8,845
2020 $1,541 (16.6%) $7,765 (83.4%) $9,306
2021 $878 (9.4%) $8,454 (90.6%) $9,333
2022 $3,726 (40.6%) $5,452 (59.4%) $9,178
2023 $1,311 (11.4%) $10,139 (88.6%) $11,450

Data source: Michigan Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Northwest Elementary School

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 943rd of 1408 Elementary schoolsRanks 1030th of 1470 Elementary schools
 3.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Northwest Elementary School)48.737
 11.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Northwest Community Schools)48.737
 11.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.140.9
 4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Northwest Elementary School)45.336.1
 9.2%
   3rd Grade Math (Northwest Community Schools)45.336.1
 9.2%
   3rd Grade Math (Michigan)46.742.9
 3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Northwest Elementary School)41.633.2
 8.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Northwest Community Schools)41.633.2
 8.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.844.3
 1.5%
4th Grade Math (Northwest Elementary School)24.123.7
 0.4%
   4th Grade Math (Northwest Community Schools)24.123.7
 0.4%
   4th Grade Math (Michigan)41.838.6
 3.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Northwest Elementary School)40.935.5
 5.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Northwest Community Schools)40.935.5
 5.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)46.243.9
 2.3%
5th Grade Math (Northwest Elementary School)22.612.9
 9.7%
   5th Grade Math (Northwest Community Schools)22.612.9
 9.7%
   5th Grade Math (Michigan)34.831.5
 3.3%
5th Grade Social Studies (Northwest Elementary School)98.2
 0.8%
   5th Grade Social Studies (Northwest Community Schools)98.2
 0.8%
   5th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)17.418.6
 1.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students798778
 2.5%
African American2636
 38.5%
American Indian01
Asian96
 33.3%
Hispanic5656
Pacific Islander00
White626591
 5.6%
Two or More Races8188
 8.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients64.7%52.7%
 12%


Schools Near Northwest Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Northwest Elementary School

In the 2023-24 school year, 757 students attended Northwest Elementary School.

Northwest Elementary School ranks 1084th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Students at Northwest Elementary School are 79% White, 10% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic, 3% African American.

Students who attend Northwest Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Northwest Kidder Middle School
High : Northwest High School


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Michigan Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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