Enrollment
337
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Linden, MI
Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 262169005872
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #2 of 6
- public schools in Linden · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- students per teacher
- 33.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Linden, MI.
School address
District: Linden Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262169005872 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Elementary School
Central Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Linden, Michigan, enrolling 337 students.
At 16.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Michigan median, within a few percentage points of the 17.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 337 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 515 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #108.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 17/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Linden Community Schools also operates Linden High School (775 students) and Linden Middle School (577 students) alongside Central 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 Central Elementary School compares
Central 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 | 16.9:1 | ▼ 3% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.2% | ▼ 39% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 337 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
337
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 52% in Michigan - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
20.2%
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
$11,924
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
10
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.7 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 91.1%
Hispanic or Latino 4.2%
Two or More 3.3%
African American 1.5%
Largest group: White at 91.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.7, Central Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Linden Community Schools, which includes Central Elementary School.
$11,924
Per student
-12%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.0%
State 67.5%
Federal 8.6%
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.
How Central Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linden High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Linden Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hyatt Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Linden Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 775
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 577
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 351
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 295
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar elementary 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 (~337 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Linden 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 Central Elementary School
How many students attend Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has 337 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Linden, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 16.9:1, which is 3% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 8% higher 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 Central Elementary School?
33.2% of students at Central Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Central Elementary School is White at 91.1% of enrollment, in Linden, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Central Elementary School rank among public schools in Linden?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Linden, 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 Linden on the city page.
Is Central Elementary School a good school?
Central Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. 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 Linden Community Schools?
Besides Central Elementary School, Linden Community Schools also operates Linden High School (775 students), Linden Middle School (577 students), and Hyatt Elementary (351 students). See the Linden 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.