Enrollment
644
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Big Rapids, MI
Big Rapids Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Big Rapids Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260578004204
👥 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
Big Rapids Middle School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Michigan schools.
- #6 of 8
- public schools in Big Rapids · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.5:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 50.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Big Rapids Middle School has class sizes larger than 87% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Big Rapids Middle School ranks #6 of 8 public schools in Big Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Big Rapids Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260578004204 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.5:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.0%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Big Rapids Middle School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Big Rapids Middle School
Big Rapids Middle School is a higher-need, large elementary school in Big Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 644 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.5:1 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 50.0% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 644 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
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 493 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #453, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (88% of enrollment) (diversity index 23/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Big Rapids Public Schools also operates Big Rapids High School (755 students) and Riverview Elementary School (346 students) alongside Big Rapids Middle 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 Middle School compares
Big Rapids Middle 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 | 21.5:1 | ▲ 23% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.0% | ▼ 8% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 644 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.5:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
644
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
21.5:1
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
45.8%
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
116
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.0 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 87.6%
Two or More 7.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.5%
African American 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 87.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 22.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 22.7, Big Rapids Middle School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Big Rapids Public Schools, which includes Big Rapids Middle 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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Rapids High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Riverview Elementary School | Smaller | Similar 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 Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 755
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- 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 elementary 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 (~644 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Big Rapids Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Big Rapids Middle 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 Middle School
How many students attend Big Rapids Middle School?
Big Rapids Middle School has 644 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Big Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Big Rapids Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Big Rapids Middle School is 21.5:1, which is 23% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 37% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Big Rapids Middle School?
50.0% of students at Big Rapids Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Big Rapids Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Big Rapids Middle School is White at 87.6% of enrollment, in Big Rapids, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Big Rapids Middle School?
Big Rapids Middle 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 Big Rapids Middle School rank among public schools in Big Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Big Rapids Middle School ranks #6 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 Middle School a good school?
Big Rapids Middle School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 Middle School, Big Rapids Public Schools also operates Big Rapids High School (755 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.