Enrollment
386
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Benton Harbor, MI
Countryside Academy Middlehigh School
Federal NCES profile for Countryside Academy Middlehigh School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260014200804Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Countryside Academy Middlehigh School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #1 of 5
- schools in Benton Harbor · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.5:1
- students per teacher
- 83.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Countryside Academy Middlehigh School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Countryside Academy Middlehigh School ranks #1 of 5 schools in Benton Harbor, MI.
School address
District: Countryside Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260014200804 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
83.5%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Countryside Academy Middlehigh School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Countryside Academy Middlehigh School
Countryside Academy Middlehigh School is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Benton Harbor, Michigan, enrolling 386 students.
At 17.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Michigan median, within a few percentage points of the 17.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 83.5% of students qualify for free meals, 54% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 386 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 450 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #41, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 386 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.7% 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.
Discipline events run high: 78 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 386 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Benton Harbor's public schools, it stands alongside Discovery Enrichment Center (80 students): Countryside Academy Middlehigh School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.5:1 vs 8:1).
Its district, Countryside Academy, also runs Countryside Academy Elementary (384 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 Middlehigh School compares
Countryside Academy Middlehigh 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 | 17.5:1 | ▼ 0% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 83.5% | ▲ 54% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 386 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
386
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
83.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% 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
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 57% in Michigan - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
27.7%
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
$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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 386 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 65 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.2 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 56.7%
Hispanic or Latino 30.8%
White 9.3%
Two or More 2.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 56.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.4, Countryside Academy Middlehigh School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Countryside Academy, which includes Countryside Academy Middlehigh School.
$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 Middlehigh School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Countryside Academy Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Countryside Academy Middlehigh School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 384
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
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 (~386 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Countryside Academy Middlehigh School's federal record.
- Compare Countryside Academy Middlehigh School 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 Middlehigh School
How many students attend Countryside Academy Middlehigh School?
Countryside Academy Middlehigh School has 386 students enrolled. It is a public school in Benton Harbor, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Countryside Academy Middlehigh School?
The student-teacher ratio at Countryside Academy Middlehigh School is 17.5:1, which is 0% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Countryside Academy Middlehigh School?
83.5% of students at Countryside Academy Middlehigh School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Countryside Academy Middlehigh School?
The largest demographic group at Countryside Academy Middlehigh School is African American at 56.7% of enrollment, in Benton Harbor, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Countryside Academy Middlehigh School?
Countryside Academy Middlehigh School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical 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 Countryside Academy Middlehigh School rank among schools in Benton Harbor?
By Resource Investment Index, Countryside Academy Middlehigh School ranks #1 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 Middlehigh School a good school?
Countryside Academy Middlehigh School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. 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 Middlehigh School, Countryside Academy also operates Countryside Academy Elementary (384 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.