George Defer Elementary School

George Defer Elementary School operates as a moderately sized elementary campus in GROSSE POINTE PARK, Michigan, run under Grosse Pointe Public Schools. Current enrollment sits at 460 students spanning grades K through 4. Compared to the state average of about 369 students per school, that is 25% bigger than typical.

Across the 12 schools in Grosse Pointe Public Schools (6,326 students total), George Defer Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Looking at the student body, George Defer Elementary School lists that nearly all students (81%) are White. Other groups include 6% multiracial, 6% Black, 4% Hispanic, 3% Asian. By comparison, Wayne County as a whole is about 49% White, so the school skews noticeably more White than its surroundings.

On the resource side, The school employs 27 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 16.9:1. That figure is higher than the state norm's 15.8:1 average. An estimated 12% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Wayne County runs at roughly 66%, so the school's eligibility rate is lower than the surrounding baseline.

With demographic context factored in, George Defer Elementary School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 60.9%; this one delivers 72.9%.

In the surrounding community, ACS estimates for Wayne County put the typical household earns roughly $60,539 per year, 28% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 16%. George Defer Elementary School is one of 573 public schools in Wayne County (combined enrollment of about 259,786 students).

Nearest neighbor: Pierce Middle School, around 0.1 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. On composite proficiency, George Defer Elementary School comes 2nd of 4 in the immediate cluster, higher than the nearby-schools average of 56.9%.

George Defer Elementary School operates from a bedroom-community location.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at George Defer Elementary School has rose 38%, going from 334 students in 2018 to 460 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 73% to 81% across the same window.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.