Enrollment
148
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · East Lansing, MI
Cole Academy East
Federal NCES profile for Cole Academy East, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260007908857Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cole Academy East earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 86% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #6 of 11
- public schools in East Lansing · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.3:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 46.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Cole Academy East has class sizes smaller than 86% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cole Academy East ranks #6 of 11 public schools in East Lansing, MI.
School address
District: Cole Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260007908857 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
12.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.7%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cole Academy East compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cole Academy East
Cole Academy East is a mid-sized charter elementary school in East Lansing, Michigan, enrolling 148 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.3:1, Cole Academy East is leaner than roughly 86% of Michigan schools and 30% under the state's 17.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 46.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 148 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 181 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #132, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (30%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 56.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Cole Academy spends $8,687 per pupil, 36% below the Michigan average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Its district, Cole Academy, also runs Cole Academy (155 students).
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 Cole Academy East compares
Cole Academy East on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.3:1 | ▼ 30% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.7% | ▼ 14% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 148 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.3:1
Leaner classes than 73% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
148
Bigger than 14% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
12.3:1
students per teacher
- 30% below state mean
Top 14% in Michigan - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
56.8%
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
$8,687
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: 2.0 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 29.7%
Hispanic or Latino 29.1%
African American 25.7%
Two or More 12.2%
Asian 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
Largest group: White at 29.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.6, Cole Academy East is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cole Academy, which includes Cole Academy East.
$8,687
Per student
-36%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-48%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 8.3%
State 74.8%
Federal 17.0%
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 Cole Academy East Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cole Academy | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cole Academy East's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 155
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
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 (~148 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cole Academy East's federal record.
- Compare Cole Academy East against another school. Compare schools
- Cole 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 Cole Academy East
How many students attend Cole Academy East?
Cole Academy East has 148 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in East Lansing, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cole Academy East?
The student-teacher ratio at Cole Academy East is 12.3:1, which is 30% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 22% 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 Cole Academy East?
46.7% of students at Cole Academy East are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cole Academy East?
The largest demographic group at Cole Academy East is White at 29.7% of enrollment, in East Lansing, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cole Academy East?
Cole Academy East has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (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 Cole Academy East rank among public schools in East Lansing?
By Resource Investment Index, Cole Academy East ranks #6 of 11 public schools in East Lansing, 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 East Lansing on the city page.
Is Cole Academy East a good school?
Cole Academy East earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 86% of Michigan schools. It is also more 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 Cole Academy?
Besides Cole Academy East, Cole Academy also operates Cole Academy (155 students). See the Cole 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.