Enrollment
115
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Big Rapids, MI
Big Rapids Virtual School
Federal NCES profile for Big Rapids Virtual School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260578000643
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Big Rapids Virtual School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Michigan schools.
- #5 of 5
- schools in Big Rapids · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 57.5:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 69.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Big Rapids Virtual School has class sizes larger than 99% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Big Rapids Virtual School ranks #5 of 5 schools in Big Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Big Rapids Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260578000643 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
2.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
57.5:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+229% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.7%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Big Rapids Virtual School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Big Rapids Virtual School
Big Rapids Virtual School is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Big Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 115 students.
Class loads run heavy: 57.5:1 is larger than about 99% of Michigan schools and 229% 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 69.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 115 puts it in the smaller 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 163 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #137, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Big Rapids Public Schools also operates Big Rapids High School (755 students) and Big Rapids Middle School (644 students) alongside Big Rapids Virtual 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 Virtual School compares
Big Rapids Virtual 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 | 57.5:1 | ▲ 229% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.7% | ▲ 28% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 115 | top 85% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
57.5:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
115
Bigger than 11% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% 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
57.5:1
students per teacher
- 229% 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
$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
4
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.5 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 87.0%
African American 4.3%
Two or More 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.6%
Hispanic or Latino 1.7%
Largest group: White at 87.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.8, Big Rapids Virtual 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 Virtual 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 Virtual School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Rapids High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Big Rapids Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Riverview Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Brookside Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Big Rapids Virtual 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
- 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
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 (~115 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Big Rapids Virtual School's federal record.
- Compare Big Rapids Virtual 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 Virtual School
How many students attend Big Rapids Virtual School?
Big Rapids Virtual School has 115 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Big Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Big Rapids Virtual School?
The student-teacher ratio at Big Rapids Virtual School is 57.5:1, which is 229% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 266% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Big Rapids Virtual School?
69.7% of students at Big Rapids Virtual School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Big Rapids Virtual School?
The largest demographic group at Big Rapids Virtual School is White at 87.0% of enrollment, in Big Rapids, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Big Rapids Virtual School?
Big Rapids Virtual School has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (lower 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 Big Rapids Virtual School rank among schools in Big Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Big Rapids Virtual School ranks #5 of 5 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 schools in Big Rapids on the city page.
Is Big Rapids Virtual School a good school?
Big Rapids Virtual School earns 15/100 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 Big Rapids Public Schools?
Besides Big Rapids Virtual School, Big Rapids Public Schools also operates Big Rapids High School (755 students), Big Rapids Middle School (644 students), and Riverview Elementary School (346 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.