Enrollment
253
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lowell, MI
Bushnell Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Bushnell Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 262205005927
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bushnell Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Michigan schools.
- #3 of 5
- public schools in Lowell · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.3:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 37.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Bushnell Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 82% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bushnell Elementary School ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Lowell, MI.
School address
District: Lowell Area Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262205005927 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.3%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bushnell Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bushnell Elementary School
Bushnell Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Lowell, Michigan, enrolling 253 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 37.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 253 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 365 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #143.
Its student body is predominantly White (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 25/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Lowell Area Schools also operates Lowell Senior High School (1,058 students) and Lowell Middle School (790 students) alongside Bushnell 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 Bushnell Elementary School compares
Bushnell 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 | 13.3:1 | ▼ 24% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.3% | ▼ 31% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 253 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
253
Bigger than 26% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.3%
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
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 24% below state mean
Top 18% in Michigan - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.4%
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
$12,374
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
5
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.5 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 86.2%
Two or More 7.9%
Hispanic or Latino 4.7%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 86.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 24.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 24.8, Bushnell Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lowell Area Schools, which includes Bushnell Elementary School.
$12,374
Per student
-8%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.0%
State 59.6%
Federal 7.4%
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 Bushnell Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lowell Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cherry Creek Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Murray Lake Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alto Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bushnell Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,058
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 485
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 433
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 417
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
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 (~253 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bushnell Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Bushnell Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Lowell Area 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 Bushnell Elementary School
How many students attend Bushnell Elementary School?
Bushnell Elementary School has 253 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lowell, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bushnell Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bushnell Elementary School is 13.3:1, which is 24% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bushnell Elementary School?
37.3% of students at Bushnell Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bushnell Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Bushnell Elementary School is White at 86.2% of enrollment, in Lowell, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bushnell Elementary School?
Bushnell Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical 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 Bushnell Elementary School rank among public schools in Lowell?
By Resource Investment Index, Bushnell Elementary School ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Lowell, 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 Lowell on the city page.
Is Bushnell Elementary School a good school?
Bushnell Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% 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 Lowell Area Schools?
Besides Bushnell Elementary School, Lowell Area Schools also operates Lowell Senior High School (1,058 students), Lowell Middle School (790 students), and Cherry Creek Elementary School (485 students). See the Lowell Area 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.