Enrollment
437
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Waterford, MI
Grayson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Grayson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 263531008620
👥 S:T ratio 17
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Grayson Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #3 of 6
- public schools in Waterford · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.8:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 51.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Grayson Elementary has class sizes larger than 85% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Grayson Elementary ranks #3 of 6 public schools in Waterford, MI.
School address
District: Waterford School District · Michigan
NCES ID 263531008620 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.8:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.5%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Grayson Elementary compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Grayson Elementary
Grayson Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Waterford, Michigan, enrolling 437 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 51.5% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 437 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 717 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #406.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 59/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Waterford School District also operates Waterford Mott High School (963 students) and Waterford Kettering High School (909 students) alongside Grayson 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 Grayson Elementary compares
Grayson 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 | 20.8:1 | ▲ 19% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.5% | ▼ 5% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 437 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.8:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
437
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20.8:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 85% in Michigan - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
30.2%
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
$15,819
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.4 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 60.2%
Hispanic or Latino 18.3%
African American 12.1%
Two or More 6.2%
Asian 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 60.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.5, Grayson Elementary is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Waterford School District, which includes Grayson Elementary.
$15,819
Per student
+17%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.7%
State 52.2%
Federal 9.1%
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 Grayson Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterford Mott High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Waterford Kettering High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pierce Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mason Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Schoolcraft Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Grayson Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 963
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 909
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 733
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 731
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 398
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
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 (~437 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Grayson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Grayson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Waterford 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 Grayson Elementary
How many students attend Grayson Elementary?
Grayson Elementary has 437 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Waterford, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Grayson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Grayson Elementary is 20.8:1, which is 19% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 32% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Grayson Elementary?
51.5% of students at Grayson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Grayson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Grayson Elementary is White at 60.2% of enrollment, in Waterford, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Grayson Elementary?
Grayson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (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 Grayson Elementary rank among public schools in Waterford?
By Resource Investment Index, Grayson Elementary ranks #3 of 6 public schools in Waterford, 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 Waterford on the city page.
Is Grayson Elementary a good school?
Grayson Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% 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 Waterford School District?
Besides Grayson Elementary, Waterford School District also operates Waterford Mott High School (963 students), Waterford Kettering High School (909 students), and Pierce Middle School (733 students). See the Waterford 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.