Enrollment
428
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Muskegon, 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 262954006539
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 36
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.
- #8 of 19
- schools in Muskegon · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.5:1
- students per teacher
- 45.3%
- 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 #8 of 19 schools in Muskegon, MI.
School address
District: Reeths-Puffer Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262954006539 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.5:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.3%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-17% 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 Muskegon, Michigan, enrolling 428 students.
At 16.5:1, 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 45.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 428 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 740 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #135.
Its student body is predominantly White (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 32/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Muskegon's public schools, it stands alongside Reethspuffer Elementary School (600 students): Central Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.5:1 vs 16.7:1).
Reeths-Puffer Schools also operates Reethspuffer High School (1,107 students) and Reethspuffer Elementary School (600 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 | 16.5:1 | ▼ 6% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.3% | ▼ 17% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 428 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
428
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 48% in Michigan - lower ratio than 52% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.7%
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
$12,205
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
2
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.7 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 81.5%
Hispanic or Latino 7.7%
Two or More 7.5%
African American 2.8%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 81.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.3, Central Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Reeths-Puffer Schools, which includes Central Elementary School.
$12,205
Per student
-10%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.3%
State 65.5%
Federal 8.2%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reethspuffer High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reethspuffer Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Reethspuffer Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Reethspuffer Intermediate Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Twin Lake School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower 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
- 1,107
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 600
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 537
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 479
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 205
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar other schools in Muskegon
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Reethspuffer Elementary School
Standard public school
600 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Oakridge Lower Elementary School
Standard public school
549 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Bunker Elementary
Standard public school
451 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Edgewood Elementary Academy
Standard public school
134 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Muskegon County Juvenile Transition Center
Alternative education program
14 students 14:1 students per teacher
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 (~428 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Reeths-Puffer 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 428 students enrolled. It is a public school in Muskegon, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 16.5:1, which is 6% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 5% 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?
45.3% 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 81.5% of enrollment, in Muskegon, 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 Muskegon?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #8 of 19 schools in Muskegon, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Muskegon 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 Reeths-Puffer Schools?
Besides Central Elementary School, Reeths-Puffer Schools also operates Reethspuffer High School (1,107 students), Reethspuffer Elementary School (600 students), and Reethspuffer Middle School (537 students). See the Reeths-Puffer 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.