Enrollment
392
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Waterford, MI
Donelson Hills Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Donelson Hills Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 17/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 263531007127
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Donelson Hills Elementary School earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #4 of 4
- elementary schools in Waterford · Resource Index
- 17
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.6:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 81.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Donelson Hills Elementary School has class sizes larger than 77% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Donelson Hills Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Waterford, MI.
School address
District: Waterford School District · Michigan
NCES ID 263531007127 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.6:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.0%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Donelson Hills Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Donelson Hills Elementary School
Donelson Hills Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Waterford, Michigan, enrolling 392 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 81.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 392 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 459 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #360, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (34%) and White (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Waterford's elementary schools, it stands alongside Grayson Elementary (437 students): Donelson Hills Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.6:1 vs 20.8:1).
Waterford School District also operates Waterford Mott High School (963 students) and Waterford Kettering High School (909 students) alongside Donelson Hills 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 Donelson Hills Elementary School compares
Donelson Hills 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 | 19.6:1 | ▲ 12% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.0% | ▲ 49% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 392 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.6:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
392
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% 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
19.6:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 77% in Michigan - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
48.7%
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
$15,819
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 36 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 34.4%
White 32.7%
African American 21.9%
Two or More 8.4%
Asian 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 34.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.9, Donelson Hills Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Waterford School District, which includes Donelson Hills Elementary School.
$15,819
Per student
+17%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.7%
State 52.2%
Federal 9.1%
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 Donelson Hills Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterford Mott High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Waterford Kettering High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pierce Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mason Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Grayson Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Donelson Hills Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 963
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 909
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 733
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 731
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 437
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar elementary schools in Waterford
1 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 (~392 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Donelson Hills Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Donelson Hills Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Waterford School District'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 Donelson Hills Elementary School
How many students attend Donelson Hills Elementary School?
Donelson Hills Elementary School has 392 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Waterford, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Donelson Hills Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Donelson Hills Elementary School is 19.6:1, which is 12% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Donelson Hills Elementary School?
81.0% of students at Donelson Hills Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Donelson Hills Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Donelson Hills Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 34.4% of enrollment, in Waterford, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Donelson Hills Elementary School?
Donelson Hills Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (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 Donelson Hills Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Waterford?
By Resource Investment Index, Donelson Hills Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Waterford, 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 Waterford on the city page.
Is Donelson Hills Elementary School a good school?
Donelson Hills Elementary School earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% 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 Waterford School District?
Besides Donelson Hills Elementary School, Waterford School District also operates Waterford Mott High School (963 students), Waterford Kettering High School (909 students), and Pierce Middle School (733 students). See the Waterford School District 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.