Three Ann Arbor-area schools topped Washtenaw County in state test proficiency during the 2025-26 school year, according to an MLive analysis published Sunday, Sept. 13.

Washtenaw Technical Middle College, a charter school in Ann Arbor with 821 students, led the region in English language arts. An estimated 82.7% of its students scored proficient or better across all ELA tests, including reading. South Arbor Charter Academy in Ypsilanti led in math, with 71.2% proficiency across all grade levels.

Saline Area Schools placed second in both subjects: 74.3% in ELA and 65.3% in math. Chelsea School District ranked third in math at 63.7%, and South Arbor took third in ELA at 72.8%.

The analysis, written by MLive K-12 education reporter Jackie Smith, covered 18 public schools and districts within the Washtenaw Intermediate School District.

AAPS buildings post top grade-level marks

Several Ann Arbor Public Schools buildings posted some of the county's highest individual scores.

Clague Middle School eighth-graders reached 90.5% ELA proficiency, the highest single-grade mark in the county. At Clague, 77.5% of eighth-grade test-takers scored at the advanced level in ELA. Ann Arbor Open eighth-graders followed at 88.6%, and Lawton Elementary fifth-graders hit 87.3%.

In math, Angell Elementary stood out. Its third-graders scored 86.1% proficient. Fifth-graders hit 85.5%. Angell fifth-graders also posted the county's highest rate of advanced math scores at 74.5%. Bach Elementary third- and fourth-graders scored 84% and 83.6%, respectively.

SAT college readiness

On the SAT, Washtenaw International High School led the county with 63.6% of test-takers meeting college-readiness benchmarks. Pioneer High School followed at 61.9%, Chelsea High School at 54%, and Skyline High School and Washtenaw Technical Middle College tied at 53.8%. Community High School came in at 52.8%.

Statewide proficiency largely unchanged

The local results come against a sobering statewide backdrop. The Michigan Department of Education released results for 20 assessments earlier in September. Proficiency improved on only six of those 20 tests.

Statewide, just 38.2% of third-graders scored proficient in ELA on the spring 2026 Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP), down from 38.9% the year before. Bridge Michigan reported that was the lowest third-grade score in the exam's 12-year history. Only 35.5% of students in grades 3-8 were proficient in math statewide.

"We need to improve the results of all these assessments for our students moving forward," State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko said Sept. 4, as reported by Bridge Michigan. "Michigan proficiency rates are not where we want them to be."

The AAPS Board of Education meets Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. at 3700 Earhart Road.