Enrollment
769
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 262415006090
Custer Elementary School — Monroe, MI
Federal NCES profile for Custer Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 17/100.
👥 Class size 20
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: Monroe Public Schools · Michigan
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20:1
vs 18.2:1 Michigan avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.4%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Custer Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
Custer Elementary School reports 769 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 37.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 20:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 10% above the Michigan state mean of 18.2:1, signalling larger average class loads than peers in the same state. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 26% higher, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 63.4% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 17% above the Michigan average and 22% above the national baseline. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 52.8% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Monroe Public Schools spends $17,867 per pupil district-wide, above the Michigan average of $15,842 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 30.3% from local sources (property taxes), 55.7% from the state, and 14.0% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (F), calculated from 3 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Custer Elementary School compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Michigan state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20:1 | ▲ 10% | 18.2:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.4% | ▲ 17% | 54.3% | 51.8% |
| Enrollment | 769 | top 90% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
63.4%
free-lunch eligible
— 17% 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
20:1
students per teacher
— 10% above state mean
Top 81% in Michigan — lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Between 15:1 and 20:1 — in line with the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
52.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Chronic absenteeism at or above 20% — the CDC threshold for "high" — signals significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$17,867
per pupil, district-wide
— above Michigan avg of $15,842
Below the U.S. average per-pupil spend — funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
117
in-school suspensions + 79 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 15.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Overview
Enrollment 769 Top 90% in Michigan — larger than 10% of 3,399 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 37.0
Students per teacher 20:1 +10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 63.4% +17% vs state
NCES ID 262415006090
Student demographics
White 75.6%
Two or More 13.8%
African American 8.7%
Hispanic or Latino 1.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 75.6% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 52.8%
In-school suspensions 117
Out-of-school suspensions 79
Expulsions 1
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Monroe Public Schools, which includes Custer Elementary School.
$17,867
Per student
+13%
vs Michigan
Avg $15,842
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 30.3%
State 55.7%
Federal 14.0%
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.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,332
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Enrollment
- 674
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Enrollment
- 462
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Enrollment
- 444
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Enrollment
- 443
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
Similar other schools in Monroe
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Monroe High School
Standard public school
1,332 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Arborwood Elementary School
Standard public school
462 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Manor Elementary School
Standard public school
444 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Raisinville School
Standard public school
443 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Waterloo Elementary School
Standard public school
281 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Orchard Center High School
Alternative education program
260 students 36.5:1 students per teacher
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about Custer Elementary School
How many students attend Custer Elementary School?
Custer Elementary School has 769 students enrolled. It is a other school in MONROE, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Custer Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Custer Elementary School is 20:1, which is 10% higher than the Michigan average of 18.2:1 and 26% higher than the national average of 15.9:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Custer Elementary School?
63.4% of students at Custer Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Custer Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Custer Elementary School is White at 75.6%. The school serves a diverse student body in MONROE, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Custer Elementary School?
Custer Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (F) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.