Dearborn’s DuVall ranks 125th among Michigan elementary schools

DuVall Elementary School ranked No. 125 among 1,499 Michigan elementary schools in the 2027 U.S. News Best Elementary Schools rankings. Its profile places it fourth among Dearborn City School District elementary schools.

The school on Beech Street scored 91.72 out of 100. Fifty-six percent of tested students scored at or above the proficient level in math, and 60% did so in reading.

Both figures exceeded the district’s elementary-school averages of 41% in math and 42% in reading. The rankings use 2023-24 state assessment data.

U.S. News rated DuVall’s math and reading performance as “well above expectations.”

Its profile lists 229 students, 14 full-time-equivalent teachers and a 17-to-1 student-teacher ratio. It reports that all full-time teachers were certified.

Three other Dearborn elementary schools also placed in the top third statewide.

Snow Elementary School ranked No. 223 with a score of 85.18. It posted 46% math proficiency and 51% reading proficiency. Its profile lists 465 students.

Long Elementary School ranked No. 431 with a score of 71.3, and Nowlin Elementary School placed No. 460 with a score of 69.29.

All four schools received “well above expectations” ratings in reading performance.

Their profiles list 74% to 79% of students at Snow, Long and Nowlin as economically disadvantaged, compared with 55% at DuVall.

Local school leadership

In her official school biography, DuVall Principal Mary Timpf describes the school’s approach to supporting children.

“Their emotional, physical, and academic needs are all priorities, and we work together to do whatever it takes to help our students succeed,” she writes.

Her statement describes the school’s general priorities rather than a response to the U.S. News rankings.

How the rankings work

The U.S. News formula gives equal weight to math proficiency, math performance, reading proficiency and reading performance.

Half 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 46,713 elementary schools for the 2027 edition. Schools receive state and district rankings, rather than a national placement.

The profiles list 23 ranked elementary schools across 37 total Dearborn City School District campuses, serving 19,262 students.