Enrollment
366
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Vassar, MI
Central School
Federal NCES profile for Central School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 263471007054
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Vassar · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.9:1
- students per teacher
- 68.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Central School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Vassar, MI.
School address
District: Vassar Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 263471007054 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.7%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central School
Central School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Vassar, Michigan, enrolling 366 students.
At 15.9:1, 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 above the state's typical profile, with 68.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 366 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 543 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #351.
Its student body is predominantly White (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 54.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Vassar Public Schools also operates Vassar Senior High School (427 students) and Pioneer Work and Learn Center (15 students) alongside Central 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 School compares
Central 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 | 15.9:1 | ▼ 9% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.7% | ▲ 27% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 366 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
366
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 41% in Michigan - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
54.9%
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
$14,541
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 87.2%
Hispanic or Latino 4.4%
Two or More 4.1%
African American 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 87.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.5, Central School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Vassar Public Schools, which includes Central School.
$14,541
Per student
+8%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.4%
State 63.0%
Federal 16.5%
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 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vassar Senior High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pioneer Work and Learn Center | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 427
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 15
- Students per teacher
- 5:1
- Resource Index
- 64/100
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 (~366 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central School's federal record.
- Compare Central School against another school. Compare schools
- Vassar 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 School
How many students attend Central School?
Central School has 366 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Vassar, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central School is 15.9:1, which is 9% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 1% 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 School?
68.7% of students at Central School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central School?
The largest demographic group at Central School is White at 87.2% of enrollment, in Vassar, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central School?
Central School has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower 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 School rank among public schools in Vassar?
By Resource Investment Index, Central School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Vassar, 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 Vassar on the city page.
Is Central School a good school?
Central School earns 22/100 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 Vassar Public Schools?
Besides Central School, Vassar Public Schools also operates Vassar Senior High School (427 students) and Pioneer Work and Learn Center (15 students). See the Vassar 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.