Plymouth Scholars ranks 14th among Michigan elementary schools

Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy earned the No. 14 spot among 1,499 Michigan elementary schools in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report rankings. It also ranked first among Michigan charter elementary schools.

The charter school at 48484 N. Territorial Road ranked No. 1 among Michigan’s 857 ranked middle schools. It serves grades K-8, and its U.S. News profile lists 823 students.

At Plymouth Scholars, 81% of tested students scored at or above the proficient level in reading and 75% in math on 2023-24 state assessments. The statewide comparison rates listed in its profile were 41% in reading and 34% in math.

The school received “well above expectations” ratings in both subjects at both the elementary and middle-school levels.

Two Canton charter schools also placed in the top 60 among Michigan elementary schools.

Achieve Charter Academy, at 3250 Denton Road, ranked No. 25, with 76% of tested students proficient or above in reading and 69% in math.

Canton Charter Academy, at 49100 Ford Road, ranked No. 58, with 67% proficient or above in reading and 62% in math.

All three schools serve grades K-8. Their profiles list a 22-to-1 student-teacher ratio at Plymouth Scholars and 21-to-1 ratios at Achieve and Canton Charter.

Local school leadership

In a 2025 announcement from National Heritage Academies about Plymouth Scholars’ Michigan Blue Ribbon School recognition, Principal Sabrina Terenzi discussed the school’s work.

“I am so proud that our school is being recognized for our hard work in providing students a high-quality education,” Terenzi said.

That statement concerned the Blue Ribbon recognition, rather than the new U.S. News rankings.

How the rankings work

The U.S. News rankings weigh four factors equally: math proficiency, math performance, reading proficiency and reading performance.

Half the formula uses subject performance indexes that account for results across proficiency levels. The other half compares results with expectations based on students’ socioeconomic backgrounds, according to the ranking methodology.

U.S. News ranked nearly 47,000 elementary schools and more than 24,000 middle schools for the 2027 edition, using publicly available data from state education agencies and the U.S. Department of Education.

Schools receive state and district rankings, rather than a national placement.

Steve Barnett, director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University, said in the U.S. News report that parents often lack good data when choosing schools.

“Often, they don’t have anything but reputation, which doesn’t tell you about what the school contributes,” Barnett said.