Enrollment
278
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Allegan, MI
Dawson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Dawson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260222003967
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dawson Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Allegan · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 48.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Dawson Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dawson Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Allegan, MI.
School address
District: Allegan Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260222003967 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.8%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dawson Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dawson Elementary School
Dawson Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Allegan, Michigan, enrolling 278 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 48.8% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 278 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 555 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #409, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 30/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 58.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Allegan Public Schools also operates Allegan High School (543 students) and Le White Middle School (427 students) alongside Dawson 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 Dawson Elementary School compares
Dawson 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 | 15.4:1 | ▼ 12% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.8% | ▼ 10% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 278 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
278
Bigger than 29% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 36% in Michigan - lower ratio than 64% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
58.6%
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
$13,295
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
Somewhat 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
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 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 82.7%
Two or More 8.3%
Hispanic or Latino 7.2%
African American 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 82.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.4, Dawson Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Allegan Public Schools, which includes Dawson Elementary School.
$13,295
Per student
-2%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.7%
State 57.7%
Federal 12.7%
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 Dawson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allegan High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Le White Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pine Trails Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Ward Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Allegan Alternative High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dawson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 543
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 427
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 326
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 247
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 112
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
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 (~278 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dawson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Dawson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Allegan 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 Dawson Elementary School
How many students attend Dawson Elementary School?
Dawson Elementary School has 278 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Allegan, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dawson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Dawson Elementary School is 15.4:1, which is 12% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 2% 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 Dawson Elementary School?
48.8% of students at Dawson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dawson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Dawson Elementary School is White at 82.7% of enrollment, in Allegan, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dawson Elementary School?
Dawson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Dawson Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Allegan?
By Resource Investment Index, Dawson Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Allegan, 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 Allegan on the city page.
Is Dawson Elementary School a good school?
Dawson Elementary School earns 23/100 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 Allegan Public Schools?
Besides Dawson Elementary School, Allegan Public Schools also operates Allegan High School (543 students), Le White Middle School (427 students), and Pine Trails Elementary School (326 students). See the Allegan 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.