Enrollment
465
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Detroit, MI
Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260013900789Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #11 of 31
- elementary schools in Detroit · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.5:1
- students per teacher
- 97.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary ranks #11 of 31 elementary schools in Detroit, MI.
School address
District: Cesar Chavez Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260013900789 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
97.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+79% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary
Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter elementary school in Detroit, Michigan, enrolling 465 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 97.1% of students qualify for free meals, 79% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 465 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 231 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #106.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (94% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 11/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 64.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 26.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Detroit's elementary schools, it stands alongside Voyageur Academy (789 students): Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.5:1 vs 25.5:1).
Cesar Chavez Academy also operates Cesar Chavez High School (730 students) and Cesar Chavez Middle School (615 students) alongside Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary.
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 Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary compares
Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.5:1 | ▼ 11% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 97.1% | ▲ 79% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 465 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
465
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
97.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 79% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 37% in Michigan - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
64.3%
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
$11,392
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
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 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
Hispanic or Latino 94.2%
White 3.2%
African American 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Two or More 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 94.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 11.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 11.1, Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cesar Chavez Academy, which includes Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary.
$11,392
Per student
-16%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 3.7%
State 69.7%
Federal 26.6%
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 Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cesar Chavez High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cesar Chavez Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cesar Chavez Academy Intermediate | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 730
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 615
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 484
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Similar elementary schools in Detroit
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Voyageur Academy
Standard public school
789 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Legacy Charter Academy
Standard public school
738 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Regent Park Scholars Charter Academy
Standard public school
707 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
University Preparatory Science and Math Elementary
Standard public school
476 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
University Preparatory Art Design Elementary
Standard public school
389 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Fisher Magnet Upper Academy
Standard public school
378 students 18:1 students per teacher
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 (~465 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Cesar Chavez Academy'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 Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary
How many students attend Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary?
Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary has 465 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Detroit, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary is 15.5:1, which is 11% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 1% lower 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 Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary?
97.1% of students at Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 94.2% of enrollment, in Detroit, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary?
Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary rank among elementary schools in Detroit?
By Resource Investment Index, Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary ranks #11 of 31 elementary schools in Detroit, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Detroit on the city page.
Is Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary a good school?
Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Cesar Chavez Academy?
Besides Cesar Chavez Academy Elementary, Cesar Chavez Academy also operates Cesar Chavez High School (730 students), Cesar Chavez Middle School (615 students), and Cesar Chavez Academy Intermediate (484 students). See the Cesar Chavez Academy 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.