Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 107 schools in district

Mary McLeod Bethune ElementaryMiddle School

8145 PURITAN ST, DETROIT, MI 48238Detroit Public Schools Community District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–08Non-Charter
706
Students
Total enrolled
$22,389
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 56% vs nat'l
16.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
29/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 41% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 706 students in grades KG–08 in DETROIT, Michigan.
56% above average funding
District spends $22,389 per pupil, 56% more than the national average of $14,347.
Low opportunity neighborhood
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 29th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Mary McLeod Bethune ElementaryMiddle School is a large elementary in DETROIT, Michigan, serving grades KG–08 with 706 students. The district invests $22,389 per student — 56% above the national average of $14,347, with a 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 91% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 29/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Mary McLeod Bethune ElementaryMiddle School

706
Total Students
16.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
91%
Free Lunch
44
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution357 male · 349 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility91%
National avg 52% · 643 students
Student Composition
98%
White1%
Black98%
Multiracial1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 260110304724

Academic Outcomes at Mary McLeod Bethune ElementaryMiddle School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
29
/ 100
Low opportunity neighborhood

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 29th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 2th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 48238

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$22,389Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$22,389
State avg
$37,188
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,851
Student Support$4,254
Administration$2,687
Operations$3,358
Other$2,239
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $22,389 spent per student, an estimated $9,918 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
42%
39%
State government
41.7%
Local (property tax)
39.1%
Federal programs
19.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $22,389/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (29/100) — national median is 50
  • 91% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Munger ElementaryMiddle SchoolEarhart ElementaryMiddle SchoolMackenzie ElementaryMiddle SchoolGompers ElementaryMiddle School
+15 more
↓
High School
Cass Technical High SchoolWestern International High SchoolRenaissance High SchoolMumford High School
+5 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 08
Location—
CountyWayne County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictDetroit Public Schools Community District →
Phone: (313)494-3830
NCES ID: 260110304724
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in DETROIT seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Detroit Public Schools Community District
High
Cass Technical High School
2,395 students · 09–12
● 32 opp62% FRL
High
Western International High School
2,151 students · 09–12
76% FRL
High
Renaissance High School
1,146 students · 09–12
● 32 opp62% FRL
Elem
Munger ElementaryMiddle School
968 students · PK–08
● 36 opp81% FRL
Elem
Earhart ElementaryMiddle School
910 students · PK–08
82% FRL
Elem
Mackenzie ElementaryMiddle School
909 students · PK–08
88% FRL
High
Mumford High School
889 students · 09–12
● 29 opp86% FRL
Elem
Gompers ElementaryMiddle School
838 students · PK–08
91% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
8145 PURITAN ST, DETROIT, MI 48238
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.