Enrollment
33
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Caro, MI
Caro Alternative High School
Federal NCES profile for Caro Alternative High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260804000994
👥 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
Caro Alternative High School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Michigan schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Michigan.
- #3 of 3
- schools in Caro · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 33:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 76.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Caro Alternative High School has class sizes larger than 97% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Caro Alternative High School ranks #3 of 3 schools in Caro, MI.
School address
District: Caro Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260804000994 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
1.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
33:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+89% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Caro Alternative High School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Caro Alternative High School
Caro Alternative High School is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Caro, Michigan, enrolling 33 students.
Class loads run heavy: 33:1 is larger than about 97% of Michigan schools and 89% 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 76.2% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 95% of Michigan schools, with 33 enrolled.
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 69 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #60, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (88% of enrollment) (diversity index 21/100).
Discipline events run high: 9 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 33 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Caro Community Schools also operates Caro High School (411 students) and Mccomb Elementary School (321 students) alongside Caro Alternative High 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 Caro Alternative High School compares
Caro Alternative High 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 | 33:1 | ▲ 89% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.2% | ▲ 40% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 33 | top 95% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
33:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
33
Bigger than 4% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% 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
33:1
students per teacher
- 89% above state mean
Top 97% in Michigan - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$12,312
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
2
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.3 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 87.9%
Hispanic or Latino 12.1%
Largest group: White at 87.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.3, Caro Alternative High School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Caro Community Schools, which includes Caro Alternative High School.
$12,312
Per student
-9%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.2%
State 64.1%
Federal 11.7%
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 Caro Alternative High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caro High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mccomb Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Caro Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Schall Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Caro Alternative High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 411
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 321
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 305
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 295
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
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 (~33 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~33:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Caro Alternative High School's federal record.
- Compare Caro Alternative High School against another school. Compare schools
- Caro Community 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 Caro Alternative High School
How many students attend Caro Alternative High School?
Caro Alternative High School has 33 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Caro, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Caro Alternative High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Caro Alternative High School is 33:1, which is 89% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 110% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Caro Alternative High School?
76.2% of students at Caro Alternative High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Caro Alternative High School?
The largest demographic group at Caro Alternative High School is White at 87.9% of enrollment, in Caro, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Caro Alternative High School?
Caro Alternative High 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 Caro Alternative High School rank among schools in Caro?
By Resource Investment Index, Caro Alternative High School ranks #3 of 3 schools in Caro, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Caro on the city page.
Is Caro Alternative High School a good school?
Caro Alternative High School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Michigan schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Michigan. 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 Caro Community Schools?
Besides Caro Alternative High School, Caro Community Schools also operates Caro High School (411 students), Mccomb Elementary School (321 students), and Caro Middle School (305 students). See the Caro Community 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.