Enrollment
488
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Ada, MI
Central Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Central Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 261461005154
👥 S:T ratio 19
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Middle School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Michigan schools.
- #3 of 7
- public schools in Ada · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.3:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 10.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Middle School has class sizes larger than 82% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Middle School ranks #3 of 7 public schools in Ada, MI.
School address
District: Forest Hills Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261461005154 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
10.8%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-80% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Middle School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Middle School
Central Middle School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Ada, Michigan, enrolling 488 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 10.8% free-meal eligibility runs 80% below the Michigan average.
Enrollment of 488 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 293 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #137.
Its student body is predominantly White (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 30/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 325 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
16.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Forest Hills Public Schools also operates Northern High School (1,088 students) and Central High School (999 students) alongside Central Middle 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 Middle School compares
Central Middle 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 | 20.3:1 | ▲ 16% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 10.8% | ▼ 80% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 488 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.3:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
488
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
10.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 80% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.3:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 82% in Michigan - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
16.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,945
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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 325 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.9 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 83.4%
Asian 5.9%
Hispanic or Latino 4.7%
Two or More 3.9%
African American 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 83.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 29.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 29.7, Central Middle School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Forest Hills Public Schools, which includes Central Middle School.
$12,945
Per student
-4%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.7%
State 52.0%
Federal 5.4%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eastern High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eastern Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northern Trails 56 School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,088
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 999
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 768
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 528
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 520
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar middle 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 (~488 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Central Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Forest Hills 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 Middle School
How many students attend Central Middle School?
Central Middle School has 488 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Ada, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Middle School is 20.3:1, which is 16% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 29% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Middle School?
10.8% of students at Central Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Central Middle School is White at 83.4% of enrollment, in Ada, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Middle School?
Central Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Central Middle School rank among public schools in Ada?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Middle School ranks #3 of 7 public schools in Ada, 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 Ada on the city page.
Is Central Middle School a good school?
Central Middle School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% 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 Forest Hills Public Schools?
Besides Central Middle School, Forest Hills Public Schools also operates Northern High School (1,088 students), Central High School (999 students), and Eastern High School (768 students). See the Forest Hills 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.