Enrollment
377
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Waterford, MI
Cooley Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cooley Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 263531007142
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cooley Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Michigan schools.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Waterford · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.9:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 48.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Cooley Elementary School has class sizes larger than 72% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cooley Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Waterford, MI.
School address
District: Waterford School District · Michigan
NCES ID 263531007142 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.9:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.3%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cooley Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cooley Elementary School
Cooley Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Waterford, Michigan, enrolling 377 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 48.3% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 377 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 728 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #314.
Its student body is led by White (72%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 45/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Waterford's elementary schools, it stands alongside Grayson Elementary (437 students): Cooley Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.9:1 vs 20.8:1).
Waterford School District also operates Waterford Mott High School (963 students) and Waterford Kettering High School (909 students) alongside Cooley 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 Cooley Elementary School compares
Cooley 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 | 18.9:1 | ▲ 8% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.3% | ▼ 11% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 377 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.9:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
377
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% 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
18.9:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 72% in Michigan - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
29.7%
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
$15,819
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 + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 72.4%
Hispanic or Latino 13.0%
African American 7.7%
Asian 3.4%
Two or More 3.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 72.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.1, Cooley Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Waterford School District, which includes Cooley Elementary School.
$15,819
Per student
+17%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.7%
State 52.2%
Federal 9.1%
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 Cooley Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterford Mott High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Waterford Kettering High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pierce Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mason Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Grayson Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cooley Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 963
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 909
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 733
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 731
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 437
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar elementary schools in Waterford
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~377 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cooley Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Cooley Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Waterford School District'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 Cooley Elementary School
How many students attend Cooley Elementary School?
Cooley Elementary School has 377 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Waterford, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cooley Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cooley Elementary School is 18.9:1, which is 8% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cooley Elementary School?
48.3% of students at Cooley Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cooley Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cooley Elementary School is White at 72.4% of enrollment, in Waterford, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cooley Elementary School?
Cooley Elementary School 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 Cooley Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Waterford?
By Resource Investment Index, Cooley Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Waterford, 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 Waterford on the city page.
Is Cooley Elementary School a good school?
Cooley Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% 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 Waterford School District?
Besides Cooley Elementary School, Waterford School District also operates Waterford Mott High School (963 students), Waterford Kettering High School (909 students), and Pierce Middle School (733 students). See the Waterford School District 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.