Enrollment
439
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Portage, MI
Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 262895006486
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #3 of 9
- schools in Portage · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.7:1
- students per teacher
- 29.7%
- 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 #3 of 9 schools in Portage, MI.
School address
District: Portage Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262895006486 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
29.7%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-45% 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 combined-grade school in Portage, Michigan, enrolling 439 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 29.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 439 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 588 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #202.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and Two or More (11%) (diversity index 50/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Portage's public schools, it stands alongside Woodsedge Learning Center (222 students): Central Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.7:1 vs 6.5:1).
Portage Public Schools also operates Portage Central High School (1,391 students) and Portage Northern High School (1,194 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 | 15.7:1 | ▼ 10% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.7% | ▼ 45% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 439 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
439
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
29.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% 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
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 39% in Michigan - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
26.9%
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
$12,499
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
14
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.4 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 69.2%
Two or More 10.9%
African American 8.0%
Hispanic or Latino 7.1%
Asian 4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 69.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.6, Central Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Portage Public Schools, which includes Central Elementary School.
$12,499
Per student
-7%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.4%
State 57.3%
Federal 6.3%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portage Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Portage Northern High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Portage Central Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Portage West Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Portage North Middle School | Larger | 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
- 1,391
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,194
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 719
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 717
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 609
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar other schools in Portage
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 (~439 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Portage 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 Central Elementary School
How many students attend Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has 439 students enrolled. It is a public school in Portage, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 15.7:1, which is 10% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 0% 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?
29.7% 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 69.2% of enrollment, in Portage, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 schools in Portage?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #3 of 9 schools in Portage, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Portage on the city page.
Is Central Elementary School a good school?
Central Elementary School earns 33/100 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 Portage Public Schools?
Besides Central Elementary School, Portage Public Schools also operates Portage Central High School (1,391 students), Portage Northern High School (1,194 students), and Portage Central Middle School (719 students). See the Portage 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.