Enrollment
526
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Clinton Twp, MI
Cherokee Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cherokee Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260957000200
👥 S:T ratio 19
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 21
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cherokee Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Michigan schools.
- #3 of 6
- schools in Clinton Twp · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.2:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 44.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Cherokee Elementary School has class sizes larger than 81% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cherokee Elementary School ranks #3 of 6 schools in Clinton Twp, MI.
School address
District: Chippewa Valley Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260957000200 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.2:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cherokee Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cherokee Elementary School
Cherokee Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Clinton Twp, Michigan, enrolling 526 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 44.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 526 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 651 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #401.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and African American (13%) (diversity index 48/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Chippewa Valley Schools also operates Dakota High School (2,476 students) and Chippewa Valley High School (2,162 students) alongside Cherokee 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 Cherokee Elementary School compares
Cherokee 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 | 20.2:1 | ▲ 15% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.2% | ▼ 19% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 526 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.2:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
526
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
20.2:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 81% in Michigan - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
31.6%
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
$12,620
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
1
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.0 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 70.0%
African American 13.1%
Two or More 8.7%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%
Asian 2.7%
Largest group: White at 70.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.2, Cherokee Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chippewa Valley Schools, which includes Cherokee Elementary School.
$12,620
Per student
-7%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.7%
State 56.6%
Federal 12.7%
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 Cherokee Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chippewa Valley High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Seneca Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wyandot Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Iroquois Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cherokee Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,476
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 2,162
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,078
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 844
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 814
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
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 (~526 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cherokee Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Cherokee Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Chippewa Valley 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 Cherokee Elementary School
How many students attend Cherokee Elementary School?
Cherokee Elementary School has 526 students enrolled. It is a public school in Clinton Twp, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cherokee Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cherokee Elementary School is 20.2:1, which is 15% 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 Cherokee Elementary School?
44.2% of students at Cherokee Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cherokee Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cherokee Elementary School is White at 70.0% of enrollment, in Clinton Twp, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cherokee Elementary School?
Cherokee Elementary School 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 Cherokee Elementary School rank among schools in Clinton Twp?
By Resource Investment Index, Cherokee Elementary School ranks #3 of 6 schools in Clinton Twp, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Clinton Twp on the city page.
Is Cherokee Elementary School a good school?
Cherokee Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% 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 Chippewa Valley Schools?
Besides Cherokee Elementary School, Chippewa Valley Schools also operates Dakota High School (2,476 students), Chippewa Valley High School (2,162 students), and Seneca Middle School (1,078 students). See the Chippewa Valley 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.