Enrollment
60
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Hillsdale, MI
Hillsdale Preparatory School
Federal NCES profile for Hillsdale Preparatory School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260014300844Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 60
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hillsdale Preparatory School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 92% of Michigan schools.
- #4 of 5
- public schools in Hillsdale · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 10:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 50.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Hillsdale Preparatory School has class sizes smaller than 92% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hillsdale Preparatory School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Hillsdale, MI.
School address
District: Hillsdale Preparatory School · Michigan
NCES ID 260014300844 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
6.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-43% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.0%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hillsdale Preparatory School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hillsdale Preparatory School
Hillsdale Preparatory School is a higher-need, small charter elementary school in Hillsdale, Michigan, enrolling 60 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10:1, Hillsdale Preparatory School is leaner than roughly 92% of Michigan schools and 43% under the state's 17.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 50.0% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 91% of Michigan schools, with 60 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 73 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #56, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (92% of enrollment) (diversity index 16/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 73.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Hillsdale Preparatory School spends $10,778 per pupil, 20% below the Michigan average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Hillsdale's elementary schools, it stands alongside Gier Elementary School (434 students): Hillsdale Preparatory School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10:1 vs 16.1:1).
Hillsdale Preparatory School is a single-school charter district, so Hillsdale Preparatory School operates independently rather than alongside district-mates. At 60 students, it is also a small operation, on the smaller end of Michigan's single-school districts.
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 Hillsdale Preparatory School compares
Hillsdale Preparatory 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 | 10:1 | ▼ 43% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.0% | ▼ 8% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 60 | top 91% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10:1
Leaner classes than 89% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
60
Bigger than 6% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
10:1
students per teacher
- 43% below state mean
Top 8% in Michigan - lower ratio than 92% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
73.3%
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
$10,778
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 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 91.7%
Two or More 5.0%
Hispanic or Latino 3.3%
Largest group: White at 91.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 15.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 15.6, Hillsdale Preparatory School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hillsdale Preparatory School, which includes Hillsdale Preparatory School.
$10,778
Per student
-20%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 3.8%
State 81.6%
Federal 14.6%
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.
Similar elementary schools in Hillsdale
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~60 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hillsdale Preparatory School's federal record.
- Compare Hillsdale Preparatory School against another school. Compare schools
- Hillsdale Preparatory School'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 Hillsdale Preparatory School
How many students attend Hillsdale Preparatory School?
Hillsdale Preparatory School has 60 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Hillsdale, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hillsdale Preparatory School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hillsdale Preparatory School is 10:1, which is 43% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 36% 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 Hillsdale Preparatory School?
50.0% of students at Hillsdale Preparatory School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hillsdale Preparatory School?
The largest demographic group at Hillsdale Preparatory School is White at 91.7% of enrollment, in Hillsdale, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hillsdale Preparatory School?
Hillsdale Preparatory School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 Hillsdale Preparatory School rank among public schools in Hillsdale?
By Resource Investment Index, Hillsdale Preparatory School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Hillsdale, 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 Hillsdale on the city page.
Is Hillsdale Preparatory School a good school?
Hillsdale Preparatory School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 92% 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 Hillsdale Preparatory School?
None; Hillsdale Preparatory School is a single-school charter district, and Hillsdale Preparatory School is its only campus.
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.