Enrollment
441
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Okemos, MI
Hiawatha Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Hiawatha Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 262628007563
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hiawatha Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 75% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Okemos · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.2:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 23.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Hiawatha Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 75% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hiawatha Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Okemos, MI.
School address
District: Okemos Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262628007563 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.9%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hiawatha Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hiawatha Elementary School
Hiawatha Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Okemos, Michigan, enrolling 441 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 23.9% free-meal eligibility runs 56% below the Michigan average.
Enrollment of 441 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 525 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #402, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and Asian (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 882 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Okemos Public Schools also operates Okemos High School (1,496 students) and Kinawa School (735 students) alongside Hiawatha 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 Hiawatha Elementary School compares
Hiawatha 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 | 14.2:1 | ▼ 19% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.9% | ▼ 56% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 441 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
441
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 25% in Michigan - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.2%
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
$13,042
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.7 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 55.8%
Asian 22.0%
Two or More 11.8%
African American 9.3%
Hispanic or Latino 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 55.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.8, Hiawatha Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Okemos Public Schools, which includes Hiawatha Elementary School.
$13,042
Per student
-3%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.5%
State 54.1%
Federal 5.4%
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 Hiawatha Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okemos High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kinawa School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chippewa Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bennett Woods Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cornell Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hiawatha Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,496
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 735
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 726
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 476
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 439
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
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 (~441 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hiawatha Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Hiawatha Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Okemos Public 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 Hiawatha Elementary School
How many students attend Hiawatha Elementary School?
Hiawatha Elementary School has 441 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Okemos, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hiawatha Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hiawatha Elementary School is 14.2:1, which is 19% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 10% 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 Hiawatha Elementary School?
23.9% of students at Hiawatha Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hiawatha Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Hiawatha Elementary School is White at 55.8% of enrollment, in Okemos, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hiawatha Elementary School?
Hiawatha Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Hiawatha Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Okemos?
By Resource Investment Index, Hiawatha Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Okemos, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Okemos on the city page.
Is Hiawatha Elementary School a good school?
Hiawatha Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 75% 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 Okemos Public Schools?
Besides Hiawatha Elementary School, Okemos Public Schools also operates Okemos High School (1,496 students), Kinawa School (735 students), and Chippewa Middle School (726 students). See the Okemos Public 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.