Enrollment
494
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 261644007902
Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy — Grand Rapids, MI
Federal NCES profile for Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 16/100.
👥 Class size 34
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 1
📋 Attendance 0
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: Grand Rapids Public Schools · Michigan
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.6:1
vs 18.2:1 Michigan avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy reports 494 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 28.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 16.6:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 9% below the Michigan state mean of 18.2:1, signalling more teacher attention per pupil than the state benchmark. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 4% higher, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 76.2% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 40% above the Michigan average and 47% above the national baseline. Counselor coverage works out to roughly 494 students per counselor, above the ASCA-recommended ceiling of 250:1. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 43.7% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Grand Rapids Public Schools spends $19,650 per pupil district-wide, above the Michigan average of $15,842 and above the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 32.7% from local sources (property taxes), 45.7% from the state, and 21.6% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (F), calculated from 4 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Michigan state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.6:1 | ▼ 9% | 18.2:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.2% | ▲ 40% | 54.3% | 51.8% |
| Enrollment | 494 | top 73% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
76.2%
free-lunch eligible
— 40% 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
16.6:1
students per teacher
— 9% below state mean
Top 45% in Michigan — lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Between 15:1 and 20:1 — in line with the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
43.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Chronic absenteeism at or above 20% — the CDC threshold for "high" — signals significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$19,650
per pupil, district-wide
— above Michigan avg of $15,842
Above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 494 students — the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
22
in-school suspensions + 57 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 494 Top 73% in Michigan — larger than 27% of 3,399 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 28.0
Students per teacher 16.6:1 -9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 76.2% +40% vs state
NCES ID 261644007902
Student demographics
African American 46.6%
Hispanic or Latino 42.3%
White 5.9%
Two or More 4.9%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 46.6% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
AP courses offered 4
Counselors (FTE) 1.0
Students per counselor 494:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 43.7%
In-school suspensions 22
Out-of-school suspensions 57
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Grand Rapids Public Schools, which includes Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy.
$19,650
Per student
+24%
vs Michigan
Avg $15,842
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 32.7%
State 45.7%
Federal 21.6%
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.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 955
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Enrollment
- 881
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Enrollment
- 708
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Enrollment
- 488
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
Similar other schools in Grand Rapids
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
City Middlehigh
Standard public school
955 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Harrison Park Academy
Standard public school
708 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center
Standard public school
287 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Hope Academy of West Michigan
Standard public school
284 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Mulick Park Elementary School
Standard public school
264 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Aberdeen Academy
Standard public school
241 students 13:1 students per teacher
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
How many students attend Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy?
Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy has 494 students enrolled. It is a other school in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy is 16.6:1, which is 9% lower than the Michigan average of 18.2:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.9:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy?
76.2% of students at Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy?
The largest demographic group at Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy is African American at 46.6%. The school serves a diverse student body in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy?
Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (F) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.