Enrollment
458
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sterling Heights, MI
Black Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Black Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 263519007095
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 8
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Black Elementary School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #18 of 23
- schools in Sterling Heights · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.6:1
- students per teacher
- 68.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Black Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Black Elementary School ranks #18 of 23 schools in Sterling Heights, MI.
School address
District: Warren Consolidated Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 263519007095 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Black Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Black Elementary School
Black Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Sterling Heights, Michigan, enrolling 458 students.
At 17.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Michigan median, within a few percentage points of the 17.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 458 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 523 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #310.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and African American (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 458 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Warren Consolidated Schools also operates Warren Mott High School (1,335 students) and Sterling Heights Senior Hs (1,262 students) alongside Black Elementary 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 Black Elementary School compares
Black Elementary 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 | 17.6:1 | ▲ 1% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.2% | ▲ 26% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 458 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
458
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 59% in Michigan - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
32.1%
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
$15,519
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 458 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 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 49.3%
African American 25.5%
Asian 15.7%
Two or More 6.8%
Hispanic or Latino 2.6%
Largest group: White at 49.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.2, Black Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Warren Consolidated Schools, which includes Black Elementary School.
$15,519
Per student
+15%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.2%
State 51.1%
Federal 15.7%
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 Black Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warren Mott High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sterling Heights Senior Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cousino Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grissom Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carter Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Black Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,335
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,262
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,250
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 703
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
- Enrollment
- 679
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
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 (~458 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Black Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Black Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Warren Consolidated 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 Black Elementary School
How many students attend Black Elementary School?
Black Elementary School has 458 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sterling Heights, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Black Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Black Elementary School is 17.6:1, which is 1% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 12% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Black Elementary School?
68.2% of students at Black Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Black Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Black Elementary School is White at 49.3% of enrollment, in Sterling Heights, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Black Elementary School?
Black Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Black Elementary School rank among schools in Sterling Heights?
By Resource Investment Index, Black Elementary School ranks #18 of 23 schools in Sterling Heights, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Sterling Heights on the city page.
Is Black Elementary School a good school?
Black Elementary School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Warren Consolidated Schools?
Besides Black Elementary School, Warren Consolidated Schools also operates Warren Mott High School (1,335 students), Sterling Heights Senior Hs (1,262 students), and Cousino Senior High School (1,250 students). See the Warren Consolidated 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.