Enrollment
400
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Alma, MI
Hillcrest Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Hillcrest 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 260264003977
👥 S:T ratio 11
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hillcrest Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of Michigan schools.
- #3 of 5
- public schools in Alma · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.2:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 64.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Hillcrest Elementary School has class sizes larger than 89% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hillcrest Elementary School ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Alma, MI.
School address
District: Alma Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260264003977 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.2:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hillcrest Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hillcrest Elementary School
Hillcrest Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Alma, Michigan, enrolling 400 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.2:1 is larger than about 89% of Michigan schools and 27% above the 17.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 64.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 400 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 629 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #223.
Its student body is predominantly White (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 25/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Alma Public Schools also operates Alma Senior High School (552 students) and Donald L Pavlik Middle School (457 students) alongside Hillcrest 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 Hillcrest Elementary School compares
Hillcrest 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 | 22.2:1 | ▲ 27% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.2% | ▲ 18% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 400 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.2:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
400
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% 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
22.2:1
students per teacher
- 27% above state mean
Top 89% in Michigan - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
24.8%
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
$13,308
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.8 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 86.0%
Hispanic or Latino 8.8%
Two or More 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 86.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 25.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 25.1, Hillcrest Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alma Public Schools, which includes Hillcrest Elementary School.
$13,308
Per student
-1%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.9%
State 57.6%
Federal 14.5%
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 Hillcrest Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alma Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Donald L Pavlik Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pine Avenue Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Luce Road Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hillcrest Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 552
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 457
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 265
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 141
- Students per teacher
- 6.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
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 (~400 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hillcrest Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Hillcrest Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Alma 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 Hillcrest Elementary School
How many students attend Hillcrest Elementary School?
Hillcrest Elementary School has 400 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Alma, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hillcrest Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hillcrest Elementary School is 22.2:1, which is 27% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 41% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hillcrest Elementary School?
64.2% of students at Hillcrest Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hillcrest Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Hillcrest Elementary School is White at 86.0% of enrollment, in Alma, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hillcrest Elementary School?
Hillcrest Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Hillcrest Elementary School rank among public schools in Alma?
By Resource Investment Index, Hillcrest Elementary School ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Alma, 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 Alma on the city page.
Is Hillcrest Elementary School a good school?
Hillcrest Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% 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 Alma Public Schools?
Besides Hillcrest Elementary School, Alma Public Schools also operates Alma Senior High School (552 students), Donald L Pavlik Middle School (457 students), and Pine Avenue Elementary School (265 students). See the Alma 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.