Enrollment
725
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Redford, MI
David Ellis Academy West
Federal NCES profile for David Ellis Academy West, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 11/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260033307495Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
David Ellis Academy West earns 11/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Michigan schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #8 of 8
- schools in Redford · Resource Index
- 11
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.3:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 86.0%
- free-lunch eligible
David Ellis Academy West has class sizes larger than 86% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, David Ellis Academy West ranks #8 of 8 schools in Redford, MI.
School address
District: David Ellis Academy West · Michigan
NCES ID 260033307495 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
86.0%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+58% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How David Ellis Academy West compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at David Ellis Academy West
David Ellis Academy West is a high-poverty, large charter combined-grade school in Redford, Michigan, enrolling 725 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: 86.0% of students qualify for free meals, 58% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 725 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 226 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #204, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (99% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 1/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 725 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Redford's public schools, it stands alongside Redford Service Learning Academy Campus (445 students): David Ellis Academy West is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.3:1 vs 55.6:1).
David Ellis Academy West is a single-school charter district, so David Ellis Academy West operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 David Ellis Academy West compares
David Ellis Academy West 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 | 86.0% | ▲ 58% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 725 | top 11% | - | - |
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.
725
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
86.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% 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
44.0%
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
$12,677
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 725 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 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 99.4%
Hispanic or Latino 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 99.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 1.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 1.2, David Ellis Academy West is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for David Ellis Academy West, which includes David Ellis Academy West.
$12,677
Per student
-6%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.1%
State 79.3%
Federal 18.6%
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.
Similar other schools in Redford
3 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 (~725 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on David Ellis Academy West's federal record.
- Compare David Ellis Academy West against another school. Compare schools
- David Ellis Academy West'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 David Ellis Academy West
How many students attend David Ellis Academy West?
David Ellis Academy West has 725 students enrolled. It is a public school in Redford, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at David Ellis Academy West?
The student-teacher ratio at David Ellis Academy West 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 David Ellis Academy West?
86.0% of students at David Ellis Academy West are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of David Ellis Academy West?
The largest demographic group at David Ellis Academy West is African American at 99.4% of enrollment, in Redford, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for David Ellis Academy West?
David Ellis Academy West has a Resource Investment Index of 11/100 (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 David Ellis Academy West rank among schools in Redford?
By Resource Investment Index, David Ellis Academy West ranks #8 of 8 schools in Redford, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Redford on the city page.
Is David Ellis Academy West a good school?
David Ellis Academy West earns 11/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Michigan schools. It is also less 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 David Ellis Academy West?
None; David Ellis Academy West is a single-school charter district, and David Ellis Academy West is its only campus.
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.