Enrollment
903
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Holland, MI
Harbor Lights Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Harbor Lights Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 263591001169
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harbor Lights Middle School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Holland · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.6:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 44.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Harbor Lights Middle School has class sizes larger than 77% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Harbor Lights Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Holland, MI.
School address
District: West Ottawa Public School District · Michigan
NCES ID 263591001169 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.6:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.9%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Harbor Lights Middle School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Harbor Lights Middle School
Harbor Lights Middle School is a large middle school in Holland, Michigan, enrolling 903 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 44.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Michigan, bigger than 94% of state schools at 903 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 245 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #45.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and White (39%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 452 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
West Ottawa Public School District also operates West Ottawa High School Campus (2,187 students) and Macatawa Bay Middle School (632 students) alongside Harbor Lights Middle 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 Harbor Lights Middle School compares
Harbor Lights Middle 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 | 19.6:1 | ▲ 12% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.9% | ▼ 17% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 903 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.6:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
903
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
19.6:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 77% in Michigan - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
32.0%
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
$13,507
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 452 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 106 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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
Hispanic or Latino 43.9%
White 38.8%
Two or More 7.3%
Asian 5.0%
African American 4.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 43.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.7, Harbor Lights Middle School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Ottawa Public School District, which includes Harbor Lights Middle School.
$13,507
Per student
+0%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.2%
State 51.2%
Federal 10.6%
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.
How Harbor Lights Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Ottawa High School Campus | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Macatawa Bay Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Waukazoo Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lakeshore Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Woodside Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Harbor Lights Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,187
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 632
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 466
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 440
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 431
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar middle 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 (~903 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Harbor Lights Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Harbor Lights Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- West Ottawa Public 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 Harbor Lights Middle School
How many students attend Harbor Lights Middle School?
Harbor Lights Middle School has 903 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Holland, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harbor Lights Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Harbor Lights Middle School is 19.6:1, which is 12% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Harbor Lights Middle School?
44.9% of students at Harbor Lights Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Harbor Lights Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Harbor Lights Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 43.9% of enrollment, in Holland, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harbor Lights Middle School?
Harbor Lights Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Harbor Lights Middle School rank among middle schools in Holland?
By Resource Investment Index, Harbor Lights Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Holland, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Holland on the city page.
Is Harbor Lights Middle School a good school?
Harbor Lights Middle School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% 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 West Ottawa Public School District?
Besides Harbor Lights Middle School, West Ottawa Public School District also operates West Ottawa High School Campus (2,187 students), Macatawa Bay Middle School (632 students), and Waukazoo Elementary School (466 students). See the West Ottawa Public 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.