MacDowell Preparatory Academy

MacDowell Preparatory Academy operates as an average-sized K-5 school in DETROIT, Michigan, one of the schools within MacDowell Preparatory Academy. Current enrollment sits at 362 students spanning grades pre-K through 8.

MacDowell Preparatory Academy is the operating authority for MacDowell Preparatory Academy, handling staffing, calendars, and reporting to the state department of education.

For racial and ethnic makeup, MacDowell Preparatory Academy reports that the student body is overwhelmingly Black (99%). By comparison, Wayne County as a whole is about 37% Black, so the school skews considerably more Black than its surroundings.

On the income-and-resources front, MacDowell Preparatory Academy lists 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 16.4:1. The state averages about 15.8:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. Around 91% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy. That share is noticeably above Wayne County's rate of about 66%.

In the surrounding community, Wayne County reports that median household income runs about $60,539, 28% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 16% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Wayne County's 573 public schools (combined enrollment of about 259,786 students), MacDowell Preparatory Academy is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Bates Academy, around 0.3 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

The campus sits in a downtown setting. As a public charter, MacDowell Preparatory Academy runs on public funding but with greater curricular and operational autonomy than a typical district school.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at MacDowell Preparatory Academy has rose 6%, going from 343 students in 2018 to 362 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 21.0:1 in 2018 to 16.4:1 today.

On the community side, members of the MacDowell Preparatory Academy community share and discuss pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.