- Enrollment
- 828
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Niles, MI
Ballard Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Ballard Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 16/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 262556006203
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ballard Elementary School earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #5 of 6
- schools in Niles · Resource Index
- 16
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.6:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 71.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Ballard Elementary School has class sizes larger than 84% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ballard Elementary School ranks #5 of 6 schools in Niles, MI.
School address
District: Niles Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262556006203 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+38 students YoY
Ballard Elementary School grew from 538 students in 2022-23 to 576 in 2023-24 (+7.1%).
Teacher FTE added 25.5 → 27.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+38 students YoY 262556006203 · Niles, MI Other · MID · TRAD
516 enr · 20.6:1 · 71.4% lunch · RII 16
Nearest enrollment peer: Niles Senior High School (828 students)
Ballard Elementary School grew from 538 students in 2022-23 to 576 in 2023-24 (+7.1%). Teacher FTE added 25.5 → 27.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Michigan schools → · Find another →
Ballard Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Niles Senior H
Niles Senior High School
828 students
- Howardellis El
Howardellis Elementary School
529 students
- This school
Ballard Elementary School
516 students
- Ring Lardner M
Ring Lardner Middle School
510 students
- Eastside Conne
Eastside Connections School
403 students
- Niles Cedar La 134
Niles Cedar Lane
134 students
What this shows Ballard Elementary School reports 516 students on the CCD universe file.
How Ballard Elementary School compares
Ballard Elementary School is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.6:1 | ▲ 18% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.4% | ▲ 31% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 516 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.6:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
516
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
71.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20.6:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 84% in Michigan - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
52.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,291
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $15,012
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 55 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 60.3%
Hispanic or Latino 14.9%
African American 12.0%
Two or More 11.4%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 60.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.7, Ballard Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
District finance for Niles Community Schools reports $13,291 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Ballard Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niles Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Howardellis Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ring Lardner Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eastside Connections School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Niles Cedar Lane | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ballard Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 529
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 510
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 403
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 134
- Students per teacher
- 26.8:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar other schools in Niles
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~516 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.6:1)
Frequently asked questions about Ballard Elementary School
How many students attend Ballard Elementary School?
Ballard Elementary School has 516 students enrolled. It is a public school in Niles, MI. CCD year-over-year: 538 (2022-23) → 576 (2023-24), up 38.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ballard Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ballard Elementary School is 20.6:1, which is 18% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ballard Elementary School?
71.4% of students at Ballard Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ballard Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Ballard Elementary School is White at 60.3% of enrollment, in Niles, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ballard Elementary School?
Ballard Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ballard Elementary School rank among schools in Niles?
By Resource Investment Index, Ballard Elementary School ranks #5 of 6 schools in Niles, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Niles on the city page.
What other schools are in Niles Community Schools?
Besides Ballard Elementary School, Niles Community Schools also operates Niles Senior High School (828 students), Howardellis Elementary School (529 students), and Ring Lardner Middle School (510 students). See the Niles Community Schools district page for the complete list.