WAY Academy Vernor Site

www.wayacademy.net/southwest

Charter School 135 Students

High School 6th - 12th

School Overview

WAY Academy (West Alternative Youth) at the Vernor site is a public charter school located in the heart of Southwest Detroit. It is designed specifically to serve students who may not have thrived in traditional high school settings, focusing on a non-traditional, project-based learning model. The school prioritizes a student-centered approach, utilizing an online blended curriculum that allows for flexibility, enabling students to work at their own pace while receiving guidance from certified mentors and subject-specific teachers.

The academy’s mission centers on personalizing the educational experience to ensure that students not only graduate with a high school diploma but also possess the life skills and academic readiness required for post-secondary success. By fostering a supportive and community-oriented environment, the Vernor site aims to remove barriers to education, providing a pathway for students who need a more individualized structure to reach their full potential.

135

Total Students

1.5

Full-Time Teachers

88.8

Student/Teacher Ratio

84.4%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for WAY Academy Vernor Site
Demographic	Student Count
White	8
Hispanic	125
Black	2

Hispanic
125 (92.6%)
White
8 (5.9%)
Black
2 (1.5%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Alternative School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	Primarily virtual
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	W-A-Y Academy
Phone:	(313)444-8082
Website:	http://www.wayacademy.net/southwest
Grade Range:	6th - 12th
Total Students:	135
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	1.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	88.8
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	113
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	1

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 6 4

Grade 7 8

Grade 8 12

Grade 9 40

Grade 10 32

Grade 11 25

Grade 12 14