Enrollment
368
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Kalamazoo, MI
El Sol Elementary
Federal NCES profile for El Sol Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 261995007948
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
El Sol Elementary earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #1 of 5
- elementary schools in Kalamazoo · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 19.4:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 61.5%
- free-lunch eligible
El Sol Elementary has class sizes larger than 75% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, El Sol Elementary ranks #1 of 5 elementary schools in Kalamazoo, MI.
School address
District: Kalamazoo Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261995007948 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.4:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.5%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How El Sol Elementary compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at El Sol Elementary
El Sol Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Kalamazoo, Michigan, enrolling 368 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 61.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 368 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 98% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 633 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and Hispanic or Latino (35%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.7% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 15.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Kalamazoo's elementary schools, it stands alongside Stem Academy (298 students): El Sol Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.4:1 vs 19.9:1).
Kalamazoo Public Schools also operates Loy Norrix High School (1,785 students) and Kalamazoo Central High School (1,613 students) alongside El Sol Elementary.
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 El Sol Elementary compares
El Sol Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.4:1 | ▲ 11% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.5% | ▲ 13% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 368 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.4:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
368
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
19.4:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 75% in Michigan - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
5.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$14,755
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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 43.8%
Hispanic or Latino 35.1%
Two or More 12.0%
African American 6.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.3%
Largest group: White at 43.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.6, El Sol Elementary is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kalamazoo Public Schools, which includes El Sol Elementary.
$14,755
Per student
+9%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.5%
State 51.9%
Federal 15.6%
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 El Sol Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loy Norrix High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kalamazoo Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Milwood Magnet School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Linden Grove Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to El Sol Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,785
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,613
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 889
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 731
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 727
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar elementary schools in Kalamazoo
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 (~368 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on El Sol Elementary's federal record.
- Compare El Sol Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Kalamazoo 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 El Sol Elementary
How many students attend El Sol Elementary?
El Sol Elementary has 368 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Kalamazoo, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at El Sol Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at El Sol Elementary is 19.4:1, which is 11% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 24% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at El Sol Elementary?
61.5% of students at El Sol Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of El Sol Elementary?
The largest demographic group at El Sol Elementary is White at 43.8% of enrollment, in Kalamazoo, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for El Sol Elementary?
El Sol Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (higher 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 El Sol Elementary rank among elementary schools in Kalamazoo?
By Resource Investment Index, El Sol Elementary ranks #1 of 5 elementary schools in Kalamazoo, 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 Kalamazoo on the city page.
Is El Sol Elementary a good school?
El Sol Elementary earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% 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 Kalamazoo Public Schools?
Besides El Sol Elementary, Kalamazoo Public Schools also operates Loy Norrix High School (1,785 students), Kalamazoo Central High School (1,613 students), and Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts (889 students). See the Kalamazoo 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.