Enrollment
65
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Manistee, MI
Casman Alternative Academy
Federal NCES profile for Casman Alternative Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260015200931Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Casman Alternative Academy earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Michigan schools.
- #1 of 3
- schools in Manistee · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 98.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Casman Alternative Academy has class sizes smaller than 83% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Casman Alternative Academy ranks #1 of 3 schools in Manistee, MI.
School address
District: Casman Alternative Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260015200931 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
5.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.4%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+81% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Casman Alternative Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Casman Alternative Academy
Casman Alternative Academy is a high-poverty, small charter combined-grade school in Manistee, Michigan, enrolling 65 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 98.4% of students qualify for free meals, 81% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 65 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 39 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #12.
Its student body is predominantly White (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 35/100).
The surrounding Casman Alternative Academy spends $9,215 per pupil, 32% below the Michigan average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 28 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 65 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Manistee's public schools, it stands alongside Manistee Isd Center Programs (46 students): Casman Alternative Academy is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13:1 vs 6.6:1).
Casman Alternative Academy is a single-school charter district, so Casman Alternative Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates. At 65 students, it is also a small operation, on the smaller end of Michigan's single-school districts.
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 Casman Alternative Academy compares
Casman Alternative Academy on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13:1 | ▼ 26% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.4% | ▲ 81% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 65 | top 90% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13:1
Leaner classes than 67% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
65
Bigger than 7% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 81% 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
13:1
students per teacher
- 26% below state mean
Top 17% in Michigan - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$9,215
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
0
in-school suspensions + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 43.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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 80.0%
African American 7.7%
Hispanic or Latino 6.2%
Two or More 6.2%
Largest group: White at 80.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.6, Casman Alternative Academy is about as mixed as the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Casman Alternative Academy, which includes Casman Alternative Academy.
$9,215
Per student
-32%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-44%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.4%
State 88.1%
Federal 9.6%
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.
Similar other schools in Manistee
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~65 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Casman Alternative Academy's federal record.
- Compare Casman Alternative Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Casman Alternative Academy'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 Casman Alternative Academy
How many students attend Casman Alternative Academy?
Casman Alternative Academy has 65 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Manistee, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Casman Alternative Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Casman Alternative Academy is 13:1, which is 26% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 17% 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 Casman Alternative Academy?
98.4% of students at Casman Alternative Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Casman Alternative Academy?
The largest demographic group at Casman Alternative Academy is White at 80.0% of enrollment, in Manistee, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Casman Alternative Academy?
Casman Alternative Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical 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 Casman Alternative Academy rank among schools in Manistee?
By Resource Investment Index, Casman Alternative Academy ranks #1 of 3 schools in Manistee, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Manistee on the city page.
Is Casman Alternative Academy a good school?
Casman Alternative Academy earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% 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 Casman Alternative Academy?
None; Casman Alternative Academy is a single-school charter district, and Casman Alternative Academy is its only campus.
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.