Paragon Charter Academy

Located at 3750 MCCAIN RD, in JACKSON, Michigan, Paragon Charter Academy is a high-enrollment elementary school that educates 627 students (grades pre-K through 8), run under Paragon Charter Academy. Compared to the state average of about 369 students per school, that is 70% bigger than typical.

Operationally, Paragon Charter Academy answers to Paragon Charter Academy, which sets policy, hires staff, and reports enrollment to the state.

On demographics, Paragon Charter Academy shows that the most-represented group is White (42%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. The remainder is composed of 22% Black, 15% multiracial, 12% Hispanic, 8% Asian. That is noticeably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 83%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Paragon Charter Academy reports 35 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 17.8:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.8:1, putting Paragon Charter Academy higher than the state norm the norm. An estimated 64% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, Jackson County runs at roughly 53%, so the school's eligibility rate is higher than the surrounding baseline.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Paragon Charter Academy tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 38.0% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 46.8%.

Across the wider county, census data for Jackson County shows median household income runs about $66,073, roughly 23% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Paragon Charter Academy is one of 68 public schools in Jackson County (combined enrollment of about 21,681 students).

Woodville Community Center is the nearest neighboring public school, about 1.2 miles from this campus. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. On composite proficiency, Paragon Charter Academy comes 1st of 4 in the immediate cluster, ahead of the nearby-schools average of 28.3%.

The campus sits in a residential setting. Paragon Charter Academy operates as a public charter school, meaning it is publicly funded but governed independently of the surrounding district's traditional schools.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count stayed largely flat: 640 students in 2018 compared to 627 in 2025. The Black share of enrollment contracted from 30% to 22% over that span.

On the community side, recent activity here tends to focus on school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.