Enrollment
277
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Elk Rapids, MI
Cherryland Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Cherryland Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 261305005003
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cherryland Middle School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Michigan schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Elk Rapids · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.3:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 24.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Cherryland Middle School has class sizes larger than 86% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cherryland Middle School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Elk Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Elk Rapids Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261305005003 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.5%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cherryland Middle School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cherryland Middle School
Cherryland Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Elk Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 277 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.3:1 is larger than about 86% of Michigan schools and 22% above the 17.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 24.5% free-meal eligibility runs 55% below the Michigan average.
With 277 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 270 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #152.
Its student body is predominantly White (90% of enrollment) (diversity index 19/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 277 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Elk Rapids Schools also operates Elk Rapids High School (360 students) and Lakeland Elementary School (289 students) alongside Cherryland 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 Cherryland Middle School compares
Cherryland 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 | 21.3:1 | ▲ 22% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.5% | ▼ 55% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 277 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.3:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
277
Bigger than 29% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% 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
21.3:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 86% in Michigan - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
25.6%
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
$11,997
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 277 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 89.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.6%
Asian 0.7%
African American 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 89.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 18.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 18.8, Cherryland Middle School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Elk Rapids Schools, which includes Cherryland Middle School.
$11,997
Per student
-11%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 71.9%
State 17.6%
Federal 10.5%
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 Cherryland Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Rapids High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lakeland Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mill Creek Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sunrise Academy | Smaller | Higher economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Cherryland Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 360
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 289
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 249
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 21
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 30/100
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 (~277 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cherryland Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Cherryland Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Elk Rapids 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 Cherryland Middle School
How many students attend Cherryland Middle School?
Cherryland Middle School has 277 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Elk Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cherryland Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cherryland Middle School is 21.3:1, which is 22% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cherryland Middle School?
24.5% of students at Cherryland Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cherryland Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Cherryland Middle School is White at 89.9% of enrollment, in Elk Rapids, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cherryland Middle School?
Cherryland Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower 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 Cherryland Middle School rank among public schools in Elk Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Cherryland Middle School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Elk Rapids, 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 Elk Rapids on the city page.
Is Cherryland Middle School a good school?
Cherryland Middle School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% 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 Elk Rapids Schools?
Besides Cherryland Middle School, Elk Rapids Schools also operates Elk Rapids High School (360 students), Lakeland Elementary School (289 students), and Mill Creek Elementary School (249 students). See the Elk Rapids 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.