Enrollment
353
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Saint Clair, MI
Gearing Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Gearing Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 261242004939
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gearing Elementary School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of Michigan schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Saint Clair · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.6:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 39.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Gearing Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 79% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gearing Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Saint Clair, MI.
School address
District: East China School District · Michigan
NCES ID 261242004939 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.7%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gearing Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gearing Elementary School
Gearing Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Saint Clair, Michigan, enrolling 353 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 39.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 353 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 649 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #163.
Its student body is predominantly White (94% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 11/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
East China School District also operates St Clair High School (715 students) and St Clair Middle School (614 students) alongside Gearing 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 Gearing Elementary School compares
Gearing 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 | 13.6:1 | ▼ 22% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.7% | ▼ 27% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 353 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
353
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 21% in Michigan - lower ratio than 79% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.2%
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
$12,232
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 + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.5 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 94.3%
Hispanic or Latino 2.8%
African American 2.3%
Two or More 0.6%
Largest group: White at 94.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 10.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 10.9, Gearing Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for East China School District, which includes Gearing Elementary School.
$12,232
Per student
-9%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.7%
State 52.8%
Federal 7.5%
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 Gearing Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Clair High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| St Clair Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marine City High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Belle River Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pine River Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gearing Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 715
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 614
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 437
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 343
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 335
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
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 (~353 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gearing Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Gearing Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- East China 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 Gearing Elementary School
How many students attend Gearing Elementary School?
Gearing Elementary School has 353 students enrolled. It is a public school in Saint Clair, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gearing Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gearing Elementary School is 13.6:1, which is 22% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 13% 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 Gearing Elementary School?
39.7% of students at Gearing Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gearing Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Gearing Elementary School is White at 94.3% of enrollment, in Saint Clair, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gearing Elementary School?
Gearing Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical 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 Gearing Elementary School rank among public schools in Saint Clair?
By Resource Investment Index, Gearing Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Saint Clair, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Saint Clair on the city page.
Is Gearing Elementary School a good school?
Gearing Elementary School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of Michigan schools. It is also less 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 China School District?
Besides Gearing Elementary School, East China School District also operates St Clair High School (715 students), St Clair Middle School (614 students), and Marine City High School (437 students). See the East China 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.