Enrollment
85
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Benzonia, MI
Benzie Academy
Federal NCES profile for Benzie Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260495008155
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 83
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Benzie Academy earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Michigan schools.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Benzonia · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 85:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 75.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Benzie Academy has class sizes larger than 99% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Benzie Academy ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Benzonia, MI.
School address
District: Benzie County Central Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260495008155 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
1.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
85:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+386% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.7%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Benzie Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Benzie Academy
Benzie Academy is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Benzonia, Michigan, enrolling 85 students.
Class loads run heavy: 85:1 is larger than about 99% of Michigan schools and 386% 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 75.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 85 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 125 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #35.
Its student body is predominantly White (89% of enrollment) (diversity index 20/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 85 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Benzie County Central Schools also operates Benzie Central Sr High School (292 students) and Benzie Central Middle School (239 students) alongside Benzie Academy.
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 Benzie Academy compares
Benzie Academy on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 85:1 | ▲ 386% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.7% | ▲ 39% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 85 | top 88% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
85:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
85
Bigger than 9% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
85:1
students per teacher
- 386% above state mean
Top 99% in Michigan - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$13,049
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 85 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
White 89.4%
Hispanic or Latino 3.5%
Two or More 3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.4%
African American 1.2%
Largest group: White at 89.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.8, Benzie Academy is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Benzie County Central Schools, which includes Benzie Academy.
$13,049
Per student
-3%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 60.6%
State 28.0%
Federal 11.4%
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 Benzie Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benzie Central Sr High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Benzie Central Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Crystal Lake Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lake Ann Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Betsie Valley School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Benzie Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 292
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 239
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 209
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 180
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 131
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
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 (~85 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Benzie Academy's federal record.
- Compare Benzie Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Benzie County Central 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 Benzie Academy
How many students attend Benzie Academy?
Benzie Academy has 85 students enrolled. It is a public school in Benzonia, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Benzie Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Benzie Academy is 85:1, which is 386% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 441% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Benzie Academy?
75.7% of students at Benzie Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Benzie Academy?
The largest demographic group at Benzie Academy is White at 89.4% of enrollment, in Benzonia, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Benzie Academy?
Benzie Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical 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 Benzie Academy rank among public schools in Benzonia?
By Resource Investment Index, Benzie Academy ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Benzonia, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Benzonia on the city page.
Is Benzie Academy a good school?
Benzie Academy earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% 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 Benzie County Central Schools?
Besides Benzie Academy, Benzie County Central Schools also operates Benzie Central Sr High School (292 students), Benzie Central Middle School (239 students), and Crystal Lake Elementary School (209 students). See the Benzie County Central 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.