Enrollment
12
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Grand Rapids, MI
Bethany Based School
Federal NCES profile for Bethany Based School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 261644000878
👥 S:T ratio 76
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bethany Based School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% of Michigan schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Michigan.
- #1 of 44
- schools in Grand Rapids · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 6:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 38.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Bethany Based School has class sizes smaller than 96% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bethany Based School ranks #1 of 44 schools in Grand Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Grand Rapids Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261644000878 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
2.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
6:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-66% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.9%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bethany Based School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bethany Based School
Bethany Based School is a small combined-grade school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 12 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 6:1, Bethany Based School is leaner than roughly 96% of Michigan schools and 66% under the state's 17.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 38.9% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 98% of Michigan schools, with 12 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Its student body is led by White (75%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 40/100).
The surrounding Grand Rapids Public Schools spends $16,601 per pupil, 23% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 21.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Grand Rapids's public schools, it stands alongside City Middlehigh (955 students): Bethany Based School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (6:1 vs 24.5:1).
Grand Rapids Public Schools also operates City Middlehigh (955 students) and Union High School (881 students) alongside Bethany Based 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 Bethany Based School compares
Bethany Based 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 | 6:1 | ▼ 66% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.9% | ▼ 28% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 12 | top 98% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
6:1
Leaner classes than 98% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
12
Bigger than 2% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
6:1
students per teacher
- 66% below state mean
Top 4% in Michigan - lower ratio than 96% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$16,601
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
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
White 75.0%
Hispanic or Latino 16.7%
African American 8.3%
Largest group: White at 75.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.3, Bethany Based School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Grand Rapids Public Schools, which includes Bethany Based School.
$16,601
Per student
+23%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
+0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.7%
State 45.7%
Federal 21.6%
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 Bethany Based School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| City Middlehigh | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Union High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harrison Park Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southwest Elementary Academia Bilingue | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bethany Based School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 955
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 881
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 708
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 494
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar other schools in Grand Rapids
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
City Middlehigh
Standard public school
955 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Harrison Park Academy
Standard public school
708 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
Standard public school
494 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center
Standard public school
287 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Hope Academy of West Michigan
Standard public school
284 students 10.1:1 students per teacher
Mulick Park Elementary School
Standard public school
264 students 17.6:1 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 (~12 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bethany Based School's federal record.
- Compare Bethany Based School against another school. Compare schools
- Grand Rapids Public 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 Bethany Based School
How many students attend Bethany Based School?
Bethany Based School has 12 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bethany Based School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bethany Based School is 6:1, which is 66% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 62% 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 Bethany Based School?
38.9% of students at Bethany Based School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bethany Based School?
The largest demographic group at Bethany Based School is White at 75.0% of enrollment, in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bethany Based School?
Bethany Based School has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Bethany Based School rank among schools in Grand Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Bethany Based School ranks #1 of 44 schools in Grand Rapids, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Grand Rapids on the city page.
Is Bethany Based School a good school?
Bethany Based School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% of Michigan schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Michigan. 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 Grand Rapids Public Schools?
Besides Bethany Based School, Grand Rapids Public Schools also operates City Middlehigh (955 students), Union High School (881 students), and Harrison Park Academy (708 students). See the Grand Rapids Public 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.