- Enrollment
- 543
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Muskegon, MI
Cardinal Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cardinal Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 17/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 262676007763
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cardinal Elementary earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #16 of 19
- schools in Muskegon · Resource Index
- 17
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.3:1
- students per teacher
- 77.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Cardinal Elementary has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cardinal Elementary ranks #16 of 19 schools in Muskegon, MI.
School address
District: Orchard View Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262676007763 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+34 students YoY
Cardinal Elementary grew from 610 students in 2022-23 to 644 in 2023-24 (+5.6%).
Teacher FTE added 40.7 → 44.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+34 students YoY 262676007763 · Muskegon, MI Other · MID · TRAD
611 enr · 15.3:1 · 77.9% lunch · RII 17
Nearest enrollment peer: Orchard View High School (543 students)
Cardinal Elementary grew from 610 students in 2022-23 to 644 in 2023-24 (+5.6%). Teacher FTE added 40.7 → 44.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Michigan schools → · Find another →
Cardinal Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Cardinal Elementary
611 students
- Orchard View H
Orchard View High School
543 students
- Orchard View M
Orchard View Middle School
422 students
- Orchard View E
Orchard View Early Elementary
331 students
- Orchard View C 134
Orchard View Community Education
134 students
What this shows Cardinal Elementary reports 611 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cardinal Elementary compares
Cardinal Elementary is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.3:1 | ▼ 13% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.9% | ▲ 43% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 611 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.3:1
Leaner classes than 44% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
611
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
77.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% 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
15.3:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 35% in Michigan - lower ratio than 65% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
50.9%
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
$16,017
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $15,012
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 611 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 57 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 53.5%
African American 27.3%
Hispanic or Latino 9.0%
Two or More 8.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.5%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 53.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.4, Cardinal Elementary is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
District finance for Orchard View Schools reports $16,017 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Cardinal Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orchard View High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Orchard View Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Orchard View Early Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Orchard View Community Education | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cardinal Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 422
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 331
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 134
- Students per teacher
- 8.9:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Similar other schools in Muskegon
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Reethspuffer Elementary School
Standard public school
600 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Oakridge Lower Elementary School
Standard public school
549 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Bunker Elementary
Standard public school
451 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Edgewood Elementary Academy
Standard public school
134 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Muskegon County Juvenile Transition Center
Alternative education program
14 students 14:1 students per teacher
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~611 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.3:1)
Frequently asked questions about Cardinal Elementary
How many students attend Cardinal Elementary?
Cardinal Elementary has 611 students enrolled. It is a public school in Muskegon, MI. CCD year-over-year: 610 (2022-23) → 644 (2023-24), up 34.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cardinal Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cardinal Elementary is 15.3:1, which is 13% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 3% 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 Cardinal Elementary?
77.9% of students at Cardinal Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cardinal Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cardinal Elementary is White at 53.5% of enrollment, in Muskegon, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cardinal Elementary?
Cardinal Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cardinal Elementary rank among schools in Muskegon?
By Resource Investment Index, Cardinal Elementary ranks #16 of 19 schools in Muskegon, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Muskegon on the city page.
What other schools are in Orchard View Schools?
Besides Cardinal Elementary, Orchard View Schools also operates Orchard View High School (543 students), Orchard View Middle School (422 students), and Orchard View Early Elementary (331 students). See the Orchard View Schools district page for the complete list.