Enrollment
280
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Wayland, MI
Bessie B Baker School
Federal NCES profile for Bessie B Baker School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 263555007165
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bessie B Baker School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #2 of 5
- public schools in Wayland · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.6:1
- students per teacher
- 41.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Bessie B Baker School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bessie B Baker School ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Wayland, MI.
School address
District: Wayland Union Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 263555007165 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bessie B Baker School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bessie B Baker School
Bessie B Baker School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Wayland, Michigan, enrolling 280 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 41.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 280 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 486 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #380, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 30/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Wayland Union Schools also operates Wayland High School (800 students) and Wayland Union Middle School (611 students) alongside Bessie B Baker 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 Bessie B Baker School compares
Bessie B Baker 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 | 15.6:1 | ▼ 11% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.1% | ▼ 24% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 280 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
280
Bigger than 29% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 38% in Michigan - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
49.6%
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
$12,682
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
12
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.6 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 82.9%
Hispanic or Latino 8.6%
Two or More 6.4%
African American 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: White at 82.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.1, Bessie B Baker School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wayland Union Schools, which includes Bessie B Baker School.
$12,682
Per student
-6%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.3%
State 57.5%
Federal 11.2%
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 Bessie B Baker School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayland High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wayland Union Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pine Street Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dorr School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rj Steeby School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bessie B Baker School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 800
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 611
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 311
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 256
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
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 (~280 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bessie B Baker School's federal record.
- Compare Bessie B Baker School against another school. Compare schools
- Wayland Union 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 Bessie B Baker School
How many students attend Bessie B Baker School?
Bessie B Baker School has 280 students enrolled. It is a public school in Wayland, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bessie B Baker School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bessie B Baker School is 15.6:1, which is 11% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bessie B Baker School?
41.1% of students at Bessie B Baker School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bessie B Baker School?
The largest demographic group at Bessie B Baker School is White at 82.9% of enrollment, in Wayland, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bessie B Baker School?
Bessie B Baker School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Bessie B Baker School rank among public schools in Wayland?
By Resource Investment Index, Bessie B Baker School ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Wayland, 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 Wayland on the city page.
Is Bessie B Baker School a good school?
Bessie B Baker School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. 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 Wayland Union Schools?
Besides Bessie B Baker School, Wayland Union Schools also operates Wayland High School (800 students), Wayland Union Middle School (611 students), and Pine Street Elementary (413 students). See the Wayland Union 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.