Enrollment
199
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Flint, MI
Academy West Alternative Education
Federal NCES profile for Academy West Alternative Education, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 263597008491
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Academy West Alternative Education earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Michigan schools.
- #4 of 9
- schools in Flint · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.9:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 88.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Academy West Alternative Education has class sizes larger than 93% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Academy West Alternative Education ranks #4 of 9 schools in Flint, MI.
School address
District: Westwood Heights Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 263597008491 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
8.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.9:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+42% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
88.4%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+63% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Academy West Alternative Education compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Academy West Alternative Education
Academy West Alternative Education is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Flint, Michigan, enrolling 199 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24.9:1 is larger than about 93% of Michigan schools and 42% above the 17.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 88.4% of students qualify for free meals, 63% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 199 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 239 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #83.
Its student body is predominantly African American (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 199 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Its district draws 18.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Flint's public schools, it stands alongside The New Standard Academy (859 students): Academy West Alternative Education is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.9:1 vs 18.7:1).
Westwood Heights Schools also operates Hamady Community High School (397 students) and Colonel Donald Mcmonagle Elementary School (304 students) alongside Academy West Alternative Education.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Academy West Alternative Education compares
Academy West Alternative Education on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.9:1 | ▲ 42% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 88.4% | ▲ 63% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 199 | top 75% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.9:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
199
Bigger than 19% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
88.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
24.9:1
students per teacher
- 42% above state mean
Top 93% in Michigan - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$12,792
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 199 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 86.9%
White 6.0%
Two or More 5.5%
Hispanic or Latino 1.5%
Largest group: African American at 86.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.8, Academy West Alternative Education is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Westwood Heights Schools, which includes Academy West Alternative Education.
$12,792
Per student
-5%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 12.4%
State 69.0%
Federal 18.6%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Academy West Alternative Education Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamady Community High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Colonel Donald Mcmonagle Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hamady Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Michael Hamady Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Academy West Alternative Education's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 397
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 304
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 154
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 131
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar other schools in Flint
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
The New Standard Academy
Standard public school
859 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Northridge Academy
Standard public school
263 students 21.9:1 students per teacher
Richfield Public School Academy Early Learning Center Pk2
Standard public school
216 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Brownell Stem Academy
Standard public school
160 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Ca Alternative Edatlantis
Alternative education program
110 students 27.5:1 students per teacher
Way Academy Flint Flint Campus
Alternative education program
95 students 31.7:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~199 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Academy West Alternative Education's federal record.
- Compare Academy West Alternative Education against another school. Compare schools
- Westwood Heights Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Academy West Alternative Education
How many students attend Academy West Alternative Education?
Academy West Alternative Education has 199 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Flint, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Academy West Alternative Education?
The student-teacher ratio at Academy West Alternative Education is 24.9:1, which is 42% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 59% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Academy West Alternative Education?
88.4% of students at Academy West Alternative Education are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Academy West Alternative Education?
The largest demographic group at Academy West Alternative Education is African American at 86.9% of enrollment, in Flint, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Academy West Alternative Education?
Academy West Alternative Education has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Academy West Alternative Education rank among schools in Flint?
By Resource Investment Index, Academy West Alternative Education ranks #4 of 9 schools in Flint, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Flint on the city page.
Is Academy West Alternative Education a good school?
Academy West Alternative Education earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Michigan schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Westwood Heights Schools?
Besides Academy West Alternative Education, Westwood Heights Schools also operates Hamady Community High School (397 students), Colonel Donald Mcmonagle Elementary School (304 students), and Hamady Middle School (154 students). See the Westwood Heights Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.