Enrollment
470
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Canton, MI
Dodson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Dodson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 262856001431
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 6
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dodson Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 71% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #1 of 6
- elementary schools in Canton · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 16.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Dodson Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 71% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dodson Elementary School ranks #1 of 6 elementary schools in Canton, MI.
School address
District: Plymouth-Canton Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262856001431 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
16.3%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-70% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dodson Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dodson Elementary School
Dodson Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Canton, Michigan, enrolling 470 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 16.3% free-meal eligibility runs 70% below the Michigan average.
Enrollment of 470 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 397 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #181.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Asian (16%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 470 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Canton's elementary schools, it stands alongside South Canton Scholars Charter Academy (822 students): Dodson Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.7:1 vs 23.5:1).
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools also operates Canton High School (1,899 students) and Salem High School (1,871 students) alongside Dodson 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 Dodson Elementary School compares
Dodson 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 | 14.7:1 | ▼ 16% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 16.3% | ▼ 70% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 470 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
470
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
16.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 70% 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
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 29% in Michigan - lower ratio than 71% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,630
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 470 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 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 62.6%
Asian 16.2%
African American 10.2%
Two or More 7.4%
Hispanic or Latino 2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: White at 62.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.5, Dodson Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, which includes Dodson Elementary School.
$13,630
Per student
+1%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.2%
State 55.4%
Federal 9.4%
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 Dodson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canton High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Salem High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Plymouth High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pioneer Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dodson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,871
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,816
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 827
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 817
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar elementary schools in Canton
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~470 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dodson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Dodson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Plymouth-Canton Community 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 Dodson Elementary School
How many students attend Dodson Elementary School?
Dodson Elementary School has 470 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Canton, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dodson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Dodson Elementary School is 14.7:1, which is 16% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 6% 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 Dodson Elementary School?
16.3% of students at Dodson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dodson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Dodson Elementary School is White at 62.6% of enrollment, in Canton, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dodson Elementary School?
Dodson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Dodson Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Canton?
By Resource Investment Index, Dodson Elementary School ranks #1 of 6 elementary schools in Canton, 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 Canton on the city page.
Is Dodson Elementary School a good school?
Dodson Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 71% of Michigan schools. 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 Plymouth-Canton Community Schools?
Besides Dodson Elementary School, Plymouth-Canton Community Schools also operates Canton High School (1,899 students), Salem High School (1,871 students), and Plymouth High School (1,816 students). See the Plymouth-Canton Community 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.