Enrollment
755
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Big Rapids, MI
Big Rapids High School
Federal NCES profile for Big Rapids High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 14/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 260578004205
👥 S:T ratio 11
📚 AP courses 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Big Rapids High School earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of Michigan schools.
- #8 of 8
- public schools in Big Rapids · Resource Index
- 14
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.2:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 37.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Big Rapids High School has class sizes larger than 89% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Big Rapids High School ranks #8 of 8 public schools in Big Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Big Rapids Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260578004205 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.2:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.7%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Big Rapids High School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Big Rapids High School
Big Rapids High School is a large high school in Big Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 755 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.2:1 is larger than about 89% of Michigan schools and 27% above the 17.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 37.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Michigan, bigger than 90% of state schools at 755 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 413 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #394, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (89% of enrollment) (diversity index 21/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 3 Advanced Placement courses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Big Rapids Public Schools also operates Big Rapids Middle School (644 students) and Riverview Elementary School (346 students) alongside Big Rapids High 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 Big Rapids High School compares
Big Rapids High 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 | 22.2:1 | ▲ 27% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.7% | ▼ 31% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 755 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.2:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
755
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
22.2:1
students per teacher
- 27% above state mean
Top 89% in Michigan - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
42.0%
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
$11,792
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
71
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.4 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 88.9%
Two or More 4.2%
African American 4.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Asian 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 88.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.6, Big Rapids High School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Big Rapids Public Schools, which includes Big Rapids High School.
$11,792
Per student
-13%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.2%
State 60.4%
Federal 14.4%
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 Big Rapids High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Rapids Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Riverview Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Brookside Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Big Rapids Virtual School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Big Rapids High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 644
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 346
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 336
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 115
- Students per teacher
- 57.5:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar high 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 (~755 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Big Rapids High School's federal record.
- Compare Big Rapids High School against another school. Compare schools
- Big 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 Big Rapids High School
How many students attend Big Rapids High School?
Big Rapids High School has 755 students enrolled. It is a high school in Big Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Big Rapids High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Big Rapids High School is 22.2:1, which is 27% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 41% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Big Rapids High School?
37.7% of students at Big Rapids High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Big Rapids High School?
The largest demographic group at Big Rapids High School is White at 88.9% of enrollment, in Big Rapids, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Big Rapids High School?
Big Rapids High School has a Resource Investment Index of 14/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Big Rapids High School rank among public schools in Big Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Big Rapids High School ranks #8 of 8 public schools in Big Rapids, 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 Big Rapids on the city page.
Is Big Rapids High School a good school?
Big Rapids High School earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% 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 Big Rapids Public Schools?
Besides Big Rapids High School, Big Rapids Public Schools also operates Big Rapids Middle School (644 students), Riverview Elementary School (346 students), and Brookside Elementary School (336 students). See the Big 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.