- Enrollment
- 1,391
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
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 →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-1 students YoY
Central Elementary School held near 447 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 28.6 → 26.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-1 students YoY 262895006486 · Portage, MI Other · SMALL · TRAD
439 enr · 15.7:1 · 29.7% lunch · RII 33
Nearest enrollment peer: Portage Central High School (1,391 students)
Central Elementary School held near 447 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 28.6 → 26.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Michigan schools → · Find another →
Central Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Portage Centra
Portage Central High School
1,391 students
- Portage Northe
Portage Northern High School
1,194 students
- Portage Centra
Portage Central Middle School
719 students
- Portage West M
Portage West Middle School
717 students
- Portage North
Portage North Middle School
609 students
- This school 439
Central Elementary School
439 students
What this shows Central Elementary School reports 439 students on the CCD universe file.
How Central Elementary School compares
Central Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 methodology
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
$13,765
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $15,012
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.
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
District finance for Portage Public Schools reports $13,765 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
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
- 1,194
- 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.
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~439 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.7:1)
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. CCD year-over-year: 448 (2022-23) → 447 (2023-24), nearly flat (-1).
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, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. 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.
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.