Enrollment
232
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Grand Haven, MI
Ferry School
Federal NCES profile for Ferry School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 261638005279
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ferry School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 86% of Michigan schools.
- #5 of 6
- schools in Grand Haven · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.2:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 61.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Ferry School has class sizes smaller than 86% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ferry School ranks #5 of 6 schools in Grand Haven, MI.
School address
District: Grand Haven Area Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261638005279 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.2:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.3%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ferry School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ferry School
Ferry School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Grand Haven, Michigan, enrolling 232 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.2:1, Ferry School is leaner than roughly 86% of Michigan schools and 30% under the state's 17.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 61.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 232 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 425 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #216.
Its student body is led by White (76%) and Two or More (9%) (diversity index 40/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 74.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Grand Haven's public schools, it stands alongside Grand Haven Cyber School (106 students): Ferry School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.2:1 vs 53:1).
Grand Haven Area Public Schools also operates Grand Haven High School (1,630 students) and White Pines Intermediate School (740 students) alongside Ferry 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 Ferry School compares
Ferry 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 | 12.2:1 | ▼ 30% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.3% | ▲ 13% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 232 | top 71% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 74% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
232
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.3%
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
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 30% below state mean
Top 14% in Michigan - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
74.1%
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
$14,336
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 + 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 76.3%
Two or More 9.1%
Hispanic or Latino 8.6%
Asian 3.9%
African American 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 76.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.0, Ferry School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Grand Haven Area Public Schools, which includes Ferry School.
$14,336
Per student
+6%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.7%
State 48.4%
Federal 6.8%
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 Ferry School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Haven High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| White Pines Intermediate School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lakeshore Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Peach Plains School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Griffin Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ferry School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,630
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 740
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 733
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 328
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 308
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other schools in Grand Haven
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 (~232 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ferry School's federal record.
- Compare Ferry School against another school. Compare schools
- Grand Haven Area 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 Ferry School
How many students attend Ferry School?
Ferry School has 232 students enrolled. It is a public school in Grand Haven, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ferry School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ferry School is 12.2:1, which is 30% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 22% 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 Ferry School?
61.3% of students at Ferry School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ferry School?
The largest demographic group at Ferry School is White at 76.3% of enrollment, in Grand Haven, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ferry School?
Ferry School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (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 Ferry School rank among schools in Grand Haven?
By Resource Investment Index, Ferry School ranks #5 of 6 schools in Grand Haven, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Grand Haven on the city page.
Is Ferry School a good school?
Ferry School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 86% of 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 Grand Haven Area Public Schools?
Besides Ferry School, Grand Haven Area Public Schools also operates Grand Haven High School (1,630 students), White Pines Intermediate School (740 students), and Lakeshore Middle School (733 students). See the Grand Haven Area 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.