Enrollment
379
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Grand Rapids, MI
Buchanan Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Buchanan Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 261644005304
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Buchanan Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #33 of 44
- schools in Grand Rapids · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18:1
- students per teacher
- 88.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Buchanan Elementary has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Buchanan Elementary ranks #33 of 44 schools in Grand Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Grand Rapids Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261644005304 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
88.9%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Buchanan Elementary compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Buchanan Elementary
Buchanan Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 379 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 88.9% of students qualify for free meals, 64% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 379 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 385 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #234.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
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): Buchanan Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18:1 vs 24.5:1).
Grand Rapids Public Schools also operates City Middlehigh (955 students) and Union High School (881 students) alongside Buchanan Elementary.
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 Buchanan Elementary compares
Buchanan Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18:1 | ▲ 3% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 88.9% | ▲ 64% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 379 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
379
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
88.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 63% in Michigan - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
37.5%
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
$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
3
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 83.6%
African American 12.9%
White 2.1%
Two or More 1.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 83.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.4, Buchanan Elementary is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Grand Rapids Public Schools, which includes Buchanan Elementary.
$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 Buchanan Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| City Middlehigh | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Union High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harrison Park Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southwest Elementary Academia Bilingue | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Buchanan Elementary'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 (~379 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Buchanan Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Buchanan Elementary 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 Buchanan Elementary
How many students attend Buchanan Elementary?
Buchanan Elementary has 379 students enrolled. It is a public school in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buchanan Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Buchanan Elementary is 18:1, which is 3% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Buchanan Elementary?
88.9% of students at Buchanan Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Buchanan Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Buchanan Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 83.6% of enrollment, in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Buchanan Elementary?
Buchanan Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (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 Buchanan Elementary rank among schools in Grand Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Buchanan Elementary ranks #33 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 Buchanan Elementary a good school?
Buchanan Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. 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 Buchanan Elementary, 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.