Enrollment
368
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Harper Woods, MI
Beacon Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Beacon Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 261776005440
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Beacon Elementary School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Michigan schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #1 of 3
- schools in Harper Woods · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.6:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 81.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Beacon Elementary School has class sizes larger than 87% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Beacon Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 schools in Harper Woods, MI.
School address
NCES ID 261776005440 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.6:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.7%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Beacon Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Beacon Elementary School
Beacon Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Harper Woods, Michigan, enrolling 368 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.6:1 is larger than about 87% of Michigan schools and 23% above the 17.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 81.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 368 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 459 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #402, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (94% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 11/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 80.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Harper Woods the School District of the City of also operates Harper Woods Virtual Academy (1,029 students) and Harper Woods High School (877 students) alongside Beacon Elementary School.
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 Beacon Elementary School compares
Beacon Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.6:1 | ▲ 23% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.7% | ▲ 50% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 368 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.6:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
368
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
21.6:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 87% in Michigan - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
80.2%
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
$12,845
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 94.3%
Hispanic or Latino 2.7%
White 1.9%
Two or More 0.8%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 94.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 11.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 11.0, Beacon Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Harper Woods the School District of the City of, which includes Beacon Elementary School.
$12,845
Per student
-5%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.4%
State 74.9%
Federal 8.7%
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 Beacon Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harper Woods Virtual Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Harper Woods High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Harper Woods Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tyrone Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Beacon Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,029
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 877
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 336
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
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 (~368 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Beacon Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Beacon Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Harper Woods the School District of the City of'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 Beacon Elementary School
How many students attend Beacon Elementary School?
Beacon Elementary School has 368 students enrolled. It is a public school in Harper Woods, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Beacon Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Beacon Elementary School is 21.6:1, which is 23% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Beacon Elementary School?
81.7% of students at Beacon Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Beacon Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Beacon Elementary School is African American at 94.3% of enrollment, in Harper Woods, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Beacon Elementary School?
Beacon Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Beacon Elementary School rank among schools in Harper Woods?
By Resource Investment Index, Beacon Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 schools in Harper Woods, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Harper Woods on the city page.
Is Beacon Elementary School a good school?
Beacon Elementary School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Michigan schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Harper Woods the School District of the City of?
Besides Beacon Elementary School, Harper Woods the School District of the City of also operates Harper Woods Virtual Academy (1,029 students), Harper Woods High School (877 students), and Harper Woods Middle School (353 students). See the Harper Woods the School District of the City of district page for the complete list.
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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.