Enrollment
426
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Byron Center, MI
Countryside Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Countryside 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 260756001549
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Countryside Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #3 of 4
- elementary schools in Byron Center · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 21.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Countryside Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Countryside Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Byron Center, MI.
School address
District: Byron Center Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260756001549 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Countryside Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Countryside Elementary School
Countryside Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Byron Center, Michigan, enrolling 426 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 21.2% free-meal eligibility runs 61% below the Michigan average.
With 426 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.
Among 477 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #362, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (75%) and Hispanic or Latino (10%) (diversity index 42/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 426 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Byron Center Public Schools also operates Byron Center High School (1,387 students) and Byron Center West Middle School (729 students) alongside Countryside 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 Countryside Elementary School compares
Countryside 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 | 15.2:1 | ▼ 13% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.2% | ▼ 61% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 426 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
426
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 34% in Michigan - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.2%
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
$12,206
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 426 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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 74.9%
Hispanic or Latino 9.6%
Two or More 6.6%
Asian 6.3%
African American 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 74.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.1, Countryside Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Byron Center Public Schools, which includes Countryside Elementary School.
$12,206
Per student
-10%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.0%
State 51.6%
Federal 9.5%
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 Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Byron Center High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Byron Center West Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Robert L Nickels Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marshall Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brown Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Countryside Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,387
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 729
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 705
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 463
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 438
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
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 (~426 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Countryside Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Countryside Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Byron Center 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 Countryside Elementary School
How many students attend Countryside Elementary School?
Countryside Elementary School has 426 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Byron Center, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Countryside Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Countryside Elementary School is 15.2:1, which is 13% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 3% 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 Countryside Elementary School?
21.2% of students at Countryside Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Countryside Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Countryside Elementary School is White at 74.9% of enrollment, in Byron Center, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Countryside Elementary School?
Countryside Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Byron Center?
By Resource Investment Index, Countryside Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Byron Center, 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 Byron Center on the city page.
Is Countryside Elementary School a good school?
Countryside Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. 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 Byron Center Public Schools?
Besides Countryside Elementary School, Byron Center Public Schools also operates Byron Center High School (1,387 students), Byron Center West Middle School (729 students), and Robert L Nickels Intermediate School (705 students). See the Byron Center 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.