Enrollment
262
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · East Lansing, MI
Donley Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Donley Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 261260004978
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Donley Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 78% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #4 of 7
- schools in East Lansing · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.8:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 52.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Donley Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 78% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Donley Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 schools in East Lansing, MI.
School address
District: East Lansing School District · Michigan
NCES ID 261260004978 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.3%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Donley Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Donley Elementary School
Donley Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in East Lansing, Michigan, enrolling 262 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 52.3% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 262 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 512 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #321.
Its student body is led by White (38%) and African American (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 57.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among East Lansing's public schools, it stands alongside Ingham Isd Asd Programs (11 students): Donley Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.8:1 vs 3.7:1).
East Lansing School District also operates East Lansing High School (1,231 students) and Macdonald Middle School (857 students) alongside Donley 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 Donley Elementary School compares
Donley 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 | 13.8:1 | ▼ 21% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.3% | ▼ 4% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 262 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
262
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% 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
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 21% below state mean
Top 22% in Michigan - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
57.3%
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
$12,101
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
White 38.2%
African American 26.0%
Hispanic or Latino 14.5%
Two or More 13.7%
Asian 7.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 38.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.1, Donley Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for East Lansing School District, which includes Donley Elementary School.
$12,101
Per student
-10%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.5%
State 45.9%
Federal 9.6%
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.
How Donley Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Lansing High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Macdonald Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marble School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glencairn School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Whitehills Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Donley Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,231
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 857
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 306
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 298
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 286
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar other schools in East Lansing
1 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 (~262 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Donley Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Donley Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- East Lansing 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 Donley Elementary School
How many students attend Donley Elementary School?
Donley Elementary School has 262 students enrolled. It is a public school in East Lansing, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Donley Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Donley Elementary School is 13.8:1, which is 21% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 12% 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 Donley Elementary School?
52.3% of students at Donley Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Donley Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Donley Elementary School is White at 38.2% of enrollment, in East Lansing, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Donley Elementary School?
Donley Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 Donley Elementary School rank among schools in East Lansing?
By Resource Investment Index, Donley Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 schools in East Lansing, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in East Lansing on the city page.
Is Donley Elementary School a good school?
Donley Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 78% 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 East Lansing School District?
Besides Donley Elementary School, East Lansing School District also operates East Lansing High School (1,231 students), Macdonald Middle School (857 students), and Marble School (306 students). See the East Lansing 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.