Enrollment
237
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Grand Rapids, MI
Congress Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Congress Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 14/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 261644001636
👥 S:T ratio 5
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Congress Elementary earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #43 of 44
- schools in Grand Rapids · Resource Index
- 14
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.7:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 63.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Congress Elementary has class sizes larger than 92% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Congress Elementary ranks #43 of 44 schools in Grand Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Grand Rapids Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261644001636 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
10.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.7:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.9%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Congress Elementary compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Congress Elementary
Congress Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 237 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.7:1 is larger than about 92% of Michigan schools and 35% above the 17.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 63.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 237 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 420 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #406, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and African American (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Grand Rapids Public Schools spends $16,601 per pupil, 23% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 21.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Grand Rapids's public schools, it stands alongside City Middlehigh (955 students): Congress Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (23.7:1 vs 24.5:1).
Grand Rapids Public Schools also operates City Middlehigh (955 students) and Union High School (881 students) alongside Congress 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 Congress Elementary compares
Congress 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 | 23.7:1 | ▲ 35% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.9% | ▲ 18% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 237 | top 71% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.7:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
237
Bigger than 24% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% 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
23.7:1
students per teacher
- 35% above state mean
Top 92% in Michigan - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
36.7%
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
$16,601
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 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 39.7%
African American 28.3%
Hispanic or Latino 25.3%
Two or More 5.9%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 39.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.5, Congress Elementary is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Grand Rapids Public Schools, which includes Congress Elementary.
$16,601
Per student
+23%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
+0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.7%
State 45.7%
Federal 21.6%
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 Congress Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| City Middlehigh | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Union High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harrison Park Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southwest Elementary Academia Bilingue | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Congress Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 955
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 881
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 708
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 494
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar other schools in Grand Rapids
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
City Middlehigh
Standard public school
955 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Harrison Park Academy
Standard public school
708 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
Standard public school
494 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center
Standard public school
287 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Hope Academy of West Michigan
Standard public school
284 students 10.1:1 students per teacher
Mulick Park Elementary School
Standard public school
264 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
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 (~237 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Congress Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Congress Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Grand Rapids 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 Congress Elementary
How many students attend Congress Elementary?
Congress Elementary has 237 students enrolled. It is a public school in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Congress Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Congress Elementary is 23.7:1, which is 35% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 51% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Congress Elementary?
63.9% of students at Congress Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Congress Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Congress Elementary is White at 39.7% of enrollment, in Grand Rapids, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Congress Elementary?
Congress Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 14/100 (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 Congress Elementary rank among schools in Grand Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Congress Elementary ranks #43 of 44 schools in Grand Rapids, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Grand Rapids on the city page.
Is Congress Elementary a good school?
Congress Elementary earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% 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 Grand Rapids Public Schools?
Besides Congress Elementary, Grand Rapids Public Schools also operates City Middlehigh (955 students), Union High School (881 students), and Harrison Park Academy (708 students). See the Grand Rapids 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.