Michigan Technical Academy is a PreK - Grade 8 public school academy with locations in the city of Detroit (grades PreK - 4) and Redford Township (grades 5-8). As a public school, the Academy is tuition-free and open to all school-age Michigan residents. We serve about 1,000 students from several area communities, most notably the cities of Detroit, Dearborn Heights, Dearborn, Oak Park and Redford Township. The Academy is authorized by Central Michigan University, with whom we have had a close working relationship since our founding.

Our school has a  unique history. In 1994, several area business owners in the metro area came together with an idea to open a charter high school focused on vocational training in automotive repair. These business owners recognized the dearth of skilled mechanics and tradesmen in the region and the need for a high-quality, public school training program for mechanically-inclined students.

Michigan's charter school law was making news at the time, and our founders approached Central Michigan University with their ideas. Following an application process and much work on both sides, Michigan Automotive Academy opened its doors in September 1995 as a public school serving grades 10-12 only.

The program found both success and struggles in its first few years with facility relocations and financial difficulties. However, in its fifth year of operation the Academy Board found a facility in Romulus conductive to its needs; found a caring, motivated school leader, Mr. Roger Sisler, to administer teh school; hired a management firm to handle the school's business and personnel affairs; and recruited interested students looking for a small (50 students!) hight school program focused on automotive service and repair.

One year later in 2000, the Academy expanded its grade offerings in two ways: first, grade 9 was added at the Romulus facility to make it a full high school program; second, the Academy started a K-8 program in northwest Detroit, leasing a facility formerly housing a Catholic school. The Academy's hope was that the 300 student K-8 program would eventually act as a feeder program for the high school.

More change was to come in the ensuing years:

• in 2002, the Academy leased a second school building in Detroit with room for another 200 students, giving the Academy a student capacity of 750 students in three buildings;
• in 2003, the Academy expanded its high school program in Romulus by installing modular classrooms, allowing for another 100 high school students;
• in 2004, the Academy leased a third school building in Detroit with room for another 275 students, giving the Academy a total capacity of more than 1,100 students. The Academy at this point operated four buildings serving grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.
• in 2006, the Academy moved its high school from Romulus to Redford, a distance of 13 miles. The purpose of the move was to create a stronger link between the high school and the K-8 program, and upgrade facilities to serve about 400 students.
• In 2008, the Academy expanded its building to include a full-size high school gymnasium/cafeteria and a 9th grade wing. The 9th grade wing houses our "Freshmen Academy," an academically rigorous high school preparation program that positions our students for success in our 10-12 program and college.
• At the end of the 2009-10 school year, the Academy closed its high school program in order to bring better focus to its core K-8 program. There are no plans to expand into high school grades in the future.

As a newly reorganized, award-winning K-8 school, we are passionately committed to being the best charter school in the state of Michigan and are on our way toward that goal.

That's our history - We invite you to be part of our future by enrolling today.