Enrollment
42
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Harrison, MI
Harrison Alternative Education
Federal NCES profile for Harrison Alternative Education, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 261782000105
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 92
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harrison Alternative Education earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Michigan schools.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Harrison · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 42:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 87.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Harrison Alternative Education has class sizes larger than 98% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Harrison Alternative Education ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Harrison, MI.
School address
District: Harrison Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261782000105 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
1.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
42:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+140% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
87.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+60% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Harrison Alternative Education compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Harrison Alternative Education
Harrison Alternative Education is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Harrison, Michigan, enrolling 42 students.
Class loads run heavy: 42:1 is larger than about 98% of Michigan schools and 140% above the 17.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 87.1% of students qualify for free meals, 60% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 93% of Michigan schools, with 42 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 53 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #29.
Its student body is predominantly White (88% of enrollment) (diversity index 22/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 42 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 69.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 14 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 42 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Harrison Community Schools also operates Robert M Larson Elementary School (582 students) and Harrison Community High School (281 students) alongside Harrison Alternative Education.
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 Harrison Alternative Education compares
Harrison Alternative Education on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 42:1 | ▲ 140% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 87.1% | ▲ 60% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 42 | top 93% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
42:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
42
Bigger than 5% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
87.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 60% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
42:1
students per teacher
- 140% above state mean
Top 98% in Michigan - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
69.0%
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
$14,399
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 42 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 33.3 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 88.1%
Hispanic or Latino 4.8%
Two or More 4.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.4%
Largest group: White at 88.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.9, Harrison Alternative Education is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Harrison Community Schools, which includes Harrison Alternative Education.
$14,399
Per student
+7%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.1%
State 41.7%
Federal 24.2%
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 Harrison Alternative Education Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert M Larson Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harrison Community High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harrison Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Harrison Alternative Education's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 582
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 281
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 279
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
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 (~42 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~42:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Harrison Alternative Education's federal record.
- Compare Harrison Alternative Education against another school. Compare schools
- Harrison Community Schools'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 Harrison Alternative Education
How many students attend Harrison Alternative Education?
Harrison Alternative Education has 42 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Harrison, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harrison Alternative Education?
The student-teacher ratio at Harrison Alternative Education is 42:1, which is 140% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 168% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Harrison Alternative Education?
87.1% of students at Harrison Alternative Education are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Harrison Alternative Education?
The largest demographic group at Harrison Alternative Education is White at 88.1% of enrollment, in Harrison, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harrison Alternative Education?
Harrison Alternative Education 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 Harrison Alternative Education rank among public schools in Harrison?
By Resource Investment Index, Harrison Alternative Education ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Harrison, 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 Harrison on the city page.
Is Harrison Alternative Education a good school?
Harrison Alternative Education earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of 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 Harrison Community Schools?
Besides Harrison Alternative Education, Harrison Community Schools also operates Robert M Larson Elementary School (582 students), Harrison Community High School (281 students), and Harrison Middle School (279 students). See the Harrison Community Schools 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.