- Enrollment
- 156
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Fife Lake, MI
Forest Area Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Forest Area Middle 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 261457000097
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 81
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Forest Area Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Fife Lake · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.5:1
- students per teacher
- 59.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Forest Area Middle School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Forest Area Middle School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Fife Lake, MI.
School address
District: Forest Area Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261457000097 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-22 students YoY
Forest Area Middle School shrank from 212 students in 2022-23 to 190 in 2023-24 (-10.4%).
Teacher FTE added 11.0 → 12.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-22 students YoY 261457000097 · Fife Lake, MI Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
193 enr · 17.5:1 · 59.4% lunch · RII 35
Nearest enrollment peer: Forest Area High School (156 students)
Forest Area Middle School shrank from 212 students in 2022-23 to 190 in 2023-24 (-10.4%). Teacher FTE added 11.0 → 12.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Michigan schools → · Find another →
Forest Area Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Forest Area Middle School
193 students
- Forest Area Hi
Forest Area High School
156 students
- Fife Lake Elem
Fife Lake Elementary School
144 students
What this shows Forest Area Middle School reports 193 students on the CCD universe file.
How Forest Area Middle School compares
Forest Area Middle School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.5:1 | ▼ 0% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.4% | ▲ 9% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 193 | top 76% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
193
Bigger than 19% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
59.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% 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
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 57% in Michigan - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
41.5%
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
$15,200
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $15,012
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 97 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
26
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 89.1%
Two or More 5.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.6%
African American 1.6%
Hispanic or Latino 1.6%
Largest group: White at 89.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.2, Forest Area Middle School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
District finance for Forest Area Community Schools reports $15,200 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Forest Area Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Area High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Fife Lake Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Forest Area Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 144
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~193 students)
Frequently asked questions about Forest Area Middle School
How many students attend Forest Area Middle School?
Forest Area Middle School has 193 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Fife Lake, MI. CCD year-over-year: 212 (2022-23) → 190 (2023-24), down 22.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Forest Area Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Forest Area Middle School is 17.5:1, which is 0% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Forest Area Middle School?
59.4% of students at Forest Area Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Forest Area Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Forest Area Middle School is White at 89.1% of enrollment, in Fife Lake, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Forest Area Middle School?
Forest Area Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Forest Area Middle School rank among public schools in Fife Lake?
By Resource Investment Index, Forest Area Middle School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Fife Lake, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Forest Area Community Schools?
Besides Forest Area Middle School, Forest Area Community Schools also operates Forest Area High School (156 students) and Fife Lake Elementary School (144 students). See the Forest Area Community Schools district page for the complete list.