Enrollment
398
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Jackson, MI
Cascades Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cascades Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 261962005625
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cascades 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.
- #6 of 10
- schools in Jackson · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.3:1
- students per teacher
- 89.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Cascades Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cascades Elementary School ranks #6 of 10 schools in Jackson, MI.
School address
District: Jackson Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261962005625 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
89.3%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cascades Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cascades Elementary School
Cascades Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Jackson, Michigan, enrolling 398 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 89.3% of students qualify for free meals, 64% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 398 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 376 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #206.
Its student body is led by African American (41%) and White (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 398 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 59.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Jackson's public schools, it stands alongside South Central Michigan Virtual (402 students): Cascades Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.3:1 vs 80.4:1).
Jackson Public Schools also operates Jackson High School (989 students) and Middle School at Parkside (750 students) alongside Cascades 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 Cascades Elementary School compares
Cascades 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 | 15.3:1 | ▼ 13% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.3% | ▲ 64% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 398 | top 42% | - | - |
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.
398
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
89.3%
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
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
59.8%
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
$15,274
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 398 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 78 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.6 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
African American 41.2%
White 29.4%
Two or More 19.6%
Hispanic or Latino 7.3%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: African American at 41.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.0, Cascades Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jackson Public Schools, which includes Cascades Elementary School.
$15,274
Per student
+13%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.8%
State 49.8%
Federal 21.4%
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 Cascades Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Middle School at Parkside | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Central Michigan Virtual | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northeast Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hunt Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cascades Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 989
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 750
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 402
- Students per teacher
- 80.4:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 396
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 366
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar other schools in Jackson
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
South Central Michigan Virtual
Standard public school
402 students 80.4:1 students per teacher
Jackson Preparatory Early College
Standard public school
260 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Jackson Isd Local Based Special Education Programs
Special-education school
240 students 4:1 students per teacher
Northwest Connect
Alternative education program
157 students 39.3:1 students per teacher
Way East Jackson
Alternative education program
16 students
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 (~398 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cascades Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Cascades Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Jackson 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 Cascades Elementary School
How many students attend Cascades Elementary School?
Cascades Elementary School has 398 students enrolled. It is a public school in Jackson, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cascades Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cascades Elementary School 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 Cascades Elementary School?
89.3% of students at Cascades Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cascades Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cascades Elementary School is African American at 41.2% of enrollment, in Jackson, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cascades Elementary School?
Cascades 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 Cascades Elementary School rank among schools in Jackson?
By Resource Investment Index, Cascades Elementary School ranks #6 of 10 schools in Jackson, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Jackson on the city page.
Is Cascades Elementary School a good school?
Cascades 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 Jackson Public Schools?
Besides Cascades Elementary School, Jackson Public Schools also operates Jackson High School (989 students), Middle School at Parkside (750 students), and South Central Michigan Virtual (402 students). See the Jackson 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.