Enrollment
476
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Kalamazoo, MI
Hillside Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Hillside Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 261995005658
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 52
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hillside Middle School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #1 of 6
- middle schools in Kalamazoo · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 63.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Hillside Middle School has class sizes larger than 73% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hillside Middle School ranks #1 of 6 middle schools in Kalamazoo, MI.
School address
District: Kalamazoo Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261995005658 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.5%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hillside Middle School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hillside Middle School
Hillside Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Kalamazoo, Michigan, enrolling 476 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 63.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 476 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 581 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #41, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (44%) and White (36%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 238 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 52.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 206 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 476 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Kalamazoo Public Schools also operates Loy Norrix High School (1,785 students) and Kalamazoo Central High School (1,613 students) alongside Hillside 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 Hillside Middle School compares
Hillside 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 | 19:1 | ▲ 9% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.5% | ▲ 17% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 476 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
476
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
19:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 73% in Michigan - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
52.3%
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
$14,755
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 238 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 202 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 43.3 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
African American 43.9%
White 36.3%
Two or More 14.7%
Hispanic or Latino 4.2%
Asian 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 43.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.2, Hillside 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 Kalamazoo Public Schools, which includes Hillside Middle School.
$14,755
Per student
+9%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.5%
State 51.9%
Federal 15.6%
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 Hillside Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loy Norrix High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kalamazoo Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Milwood Magnet School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Linden Grove Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hillside Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,785
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,613
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 889
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 731
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 727
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
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 (~476 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hillside Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Hillside Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Kalamazoo 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 Hillside Middle School
How many students attend Hillside Middle School?
Hillside Middle School has 476 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Kalamazoo, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hillside Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hillside Middle School is 19:1, which is 9% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hillside Middle School?
63.5% of students at Hillside Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hillside Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Hillside Middle School is African American at 43.9% of enrollment, in Kalamazoo, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hillside Middle School?
Hillside Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical 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 Hillside Middle School rank among middle schools in Kalamazoo?
By Resource Investment Index, Hillside Middle School ranks #1 of 6 middle schools in Kalamazoo, 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 Kalamazoo on the city page.
Is Hillside Middle School a good school?
Hillside Middle School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% 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 Kalamazoo Public Schools?
Besides Hillside Middle School, Kalamazoo Public Schools also operates Loy Norrix High School (1,785 students), Kalamazoo Central High School (1,613 students), and Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts (889 students). See the Kalamazoo 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.