Wayne County families exploring alternative education paths might find charter schools a great fit. These no-cost public schools often provide close-knit learning environments and rigorous academics geared toward college readiness.
To help families make informed choices, this list highlighting the best charter schools in Wayne County, uses a combination of publicly available data from sources like the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Census Bureau, along with community reviews, survey feedback, and academic performance indicators such as test scores and college readiness.
Read on for our guide to the best charter schools in Wayne County.
Read more: Best Charter Schools in Metro Detroit
Best charter schools in Wayne County
Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy (A+)
- Address: 48484 N. Territorial Road, Plymouth
- Why it stands out: A top-performing school with the benefits of support from its large charter network.
Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy serves kids as young as 5 years old through the eighth grade. The school opened in 2012, and has since claimed the top spot for charter schools in the Detroit area.
All students participate in music and different forms of art. Students can also choose to join sports teams, clubs and student leadership roles.
The school is part of the National Heritage Academies network. A Stanford study found that students in the network’s schools outperform their peers. Students gain nearly three-and-a-half months of additional learning.
Achieve Charter Academy (A)
- Address: 3250 Denton Road, Canton
- Why it stands out: A high-performing school focused on educating the whole child. The academy is part of the National Heritage Academies network.
Achieve Charter Academy serves roughly 771 students from K-8. The school aims to educate children to become well-rounded citizens through its use of a moral value curriculum.
The school offers on-site before and after school care thanks to a partnership with the YMCA. Students can get involved with sports like basketball, cheerleading and soccer or choose from a variety of clubs.
Achieve Charter Academy is part of the National Heritage Academies network.
Canton Charter Academy (A)
- Address: 49100 Ford Road, Canton
- Why it stands out: National Heritage Academies network schools stand out for their many extracurriculars, student leadership opportunities and focus on strong values.
Achieve Charter Academy serves roughly 775 students across grades K-8.
Students benefit from an academic program with a moral focus, an accelerated learning path option as well as personalized instruction and experiential learning.
Students can participate in clubs focused on subjects like chess, cooking, golf and Spanish. Some clubs, like robotics and science olympiad, also compete against other schools.
The school is part of the National Heritage Academies network. A Stanford study found that students in the network’s schools outperform their peers; students gain nearly three-and-a-half months of additional learning.
Keystone Academy (A)
- Address: 47925 Bemis Road, Belleville
- Why it stands out: Keystone Academy, part of the National Heritage Academies network, lets its students earn high school credit while in middle school thanks to an accelerated learning program.
Keystone Academy offers personalized learning experiences for kids in Young Fives through eighth grade.
The school is part of the National Heritage Academies network and offers similar academic programs to other top-performing schools. Students learn moral values throughout their education.
Keystone Academy students can also participate in EXCEL-ERATE, an advanced learning program for top-performing students in all grades. Middle school students can even earn high school credits at Arbor Preparatory High School.
South Canton Scholars Charter Academy (A-)
- Address: 3085 South Canton Center Road, Canton
- Why it stands out: Early education is essential for creating a strong foundation for life. This school sets kids up for success with its consistent programming as part of the National Heritage Academies network.
South Canton Scholars Charter Academy prepares about 823 students from Young Fives through eighth grade for their continued education.
Students benefit from the National Heritage Academies network standard of quality. High performing students can take on more challenging courses, artistic students can flourish and those with an interest in sports have options.
Canton Preparatory High School (A-)
- Address: 46610 Cherry Hill Road, Canton
- Why it stands out: A college prep environment in a high performing school serving grades 7-12. The school is part of the National Heritage Academies network.
Canton Preparatory High School encourages its more than 600 students in grades 7-12 to reach their full potential. The school is part of the National Heritage Academies charter network.
Students benefit from the National Heritage Academies network standard of quality. High performing students can take on more challenging courses, artistic students can flourish and those with an interest in sports have options. Students at Canton Prep can choose from sports options like volleyball and soccer and clubs including animation, chess and spanish.
Hamtramck Academy (B+)
- Address: 11420 Conant St., Hamtramck
- Why it stands out: This school set in the diverse city of Hamtramck is known for its commitment to the whole child. Hamtramck Academy is a National Heritage Academies school.
Hamtramck Academy is located in the heart of Hamtramck, a city with the slogan “The World in Two Square Miles.”
The school is part of the National Heritage Academies charter network and benefits from the large network’s consistent programs and offerings. Students at Hamtramck Academy have options when it comes to their education–they can participate in accelerated learning programs, learn about their passions with after-school clubs and expand their potential through the fine arts.
Hamtramck Academy educates roughly 549 students in grades K-8.
Pembroke Academy (B+)
- Address: 19940 Mansfield Street, Detroit
- Why it stands out: An award-winning school with extracurriculars and a moral focus.
Pembroke Academy is an award-winning school serving Young Fives through eighth grade. The academy is a MDE Rewards School, meaning it scored in the top 5 percent on the Michigan Department of Education’s Top-to-Bottom Ranking.
Pembroke Academy was also named a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.
Students have the option to participate in sports like cheerleading, flag football and basketball and clubs including robotics and chess. Pembroke Academy is a member of the National Heritage Academies charter network.
Trillium Academy (B)
- Address: 15740 Racho Blvd., Taylor
- Why it stands out: Trillium’s commitment to individualized learning and maintaining a healthy school environment make it stand out.
Trillium Academy educates children in grades PreK-12 for lifelong success.
The school offers smaller class sizes, individualized support, 1:1 technology, extracurriculars and competitive athletics. Students at the high school level can also participate in Advanced Placement (AP) classes and dual enrollment options.
Trillium uses a positive behavior model to maintain a healthy school environment. Students are developed into respectful and responsible citizens.
Taylor Exemplar Academy (B)
- Address: 26727 Goddard Road, Taylor
- Why it stands out: This charter is part of the National Heritage Academies network and benefits from support offered by the organization. Students learn in a rigorous environment meant to develop the whole child.
Taylor Exemplar Academy is a National Heritage Academies charter network school serving Young Fives through eighth grade.
Students at this tuition-free public charter academy have access to a variety of extracurriculars. Clubs, sports and student leadership opportunities are all available at Taylor.
For top performers, the school offers an advanced learning program called EXCEL-ERATE. Middle schoolers can even earn high school credits at Taylor Preparatory High School through the program.
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