Enrollment
384
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Benton Harbor, MI
Countryside Academy Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Countryside Academy Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260014201700Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Countryside Academy Elementary earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #4 of 5
- schools in Benton Harbor · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.3:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 88.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Countryside Academy Elementary has class sizes larger than 86% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Countryside Academy Elementary ranks #4 of 5 schools in Benton Harbor, MI.
School address
District: Countryside Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260014201700 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
88.4%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+63% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Countryside Academy Elementary compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Countryside Academy Elementary
Countryside Academy Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Benton Harbor, Michigan, enrolling 384 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.
Economic need is high: 88.4% of students qualify for free meals, 63% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 384 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 396 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #341, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (56%) and Hispanic or Latino (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 58/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 22.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Benton Harbor's public schools, it stands alongside Discovery Enrichment Center (80 students): Countryside Academy Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.3:1 vs 8:1).
Its district, Countryside Academy, also runs Countryside Academy Middlehigh School (386 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 Countryside Academy Elementary compares
Countryside Academy 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 | 21.3:1 | ▲ 22% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 88.4% | ▲ 63% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 384 | top 44% | - | - |
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.
384
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
88.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
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
44.3%
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
$13,048
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 + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.3 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
African American 55.5%
Hispanic or Latino 32.6%
White 7.0%
Two or More 4.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 55.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.9, Countryside Academy Elementary is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Countryside Academy, which includes Countryside Academy Elementary.
$13,048
Per student
-3%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 1.8%
State 76.2%
Federal 22.0%
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 Countryside Academy Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Countryside Academy Middlehigh School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Countryside Academy Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 386
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other schools in Benton Harbor
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~384 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Countryside Academy Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Countryside Academy Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Countryside 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 Countryside Academy Elementary
How many students attend Countryside Academy Elementary?
Countryside Academy Elementary has 384 students enrolled. It is a public school in Benton Harbor, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Countryside Academy Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Countryside Academy Elementary 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 Countryside Academy Elementary?
88.4% of students at Countryside Academy Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Countryside Academy Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Countryside Academy Elementary is African American at 55.5% of enrollment, in Benton Harbor, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Countryside Academy Elementary?
Countryside Academy Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (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 Countryside Academy Elementary rank among schools in Benton Harbor?
By Resource Investment Index, Countryside Academy Elementary ranks #4 of 5 schools in Benton Harbor, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Benton Harbor on the city page.
Is Countryside Academy Elementary a good school?
Countryside Academy Elementary earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger 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 Countryside Academy?
Besides Countryside Academy Elementary, Countryside Academy also operates Countryside Academy Middlehigh School (386 students). See the Countryside 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.