Enrollment
446
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Clarkston, MI
Independence Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Independence Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260990001160
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% of Michigan schools.
- #2 of 6
- schools in Clarkston · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.7:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 12.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Independence Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 85% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Elementary School ranks #2 of 6 schools in Clarkston, MI.
School address
District: Clarkston Community School District · Michigan
NCES ID 260990001160 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.7:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.5%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-77% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence Elementary School
Independence Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Clarkston, Michigan, enrolling 446 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.7:1, Independence Elementary School is leaner than roughly 85% of Michigan schools and 27% under the state's 17.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 12.5% free-meal eligibility runs 77% below the Michigan average.
Enrollment of 446 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 323 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #25, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (89% of enrollment) (diversity index 20/100).
15.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Clarkston's public schools, it stands alongside Renaissance Virtual School (63 students): Independence Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.7:1 vs 21:1).
Clarkston Community School District also operates Clarkston High School (1,552 students) and Clarkston Junior High School (1,007 students) alongside Independence 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 Independence Elementary School compares
Independence 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 | 12.7:1 | ▼ 27% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.5% | ▼ 77% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 446 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.7:1
Leaner classes than 69% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
446
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 77% 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
12.7:1
students per teacher
- 27% below state mean
Top 15% in Michigan - lower ratio than 85% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
15.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,490
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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 89.0%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%
Two or More 3.4%
African American 1.6%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 89.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.4, Independence Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Clarkston Community School District, which includes Independence Elementary School.
$14,490
Per student
+7%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.2%
State 63.5%
Federal 6.3%
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 Independence Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarkston High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clarkston Junior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sashabaw Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bailey Lake Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Springfield Plains Elem School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Independence Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,552
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,007
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 933
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 522
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 495
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Clarkston
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~446 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Independence Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Clarkston Community School District'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 Independence Elementary School
How many students attend Independence Elementary School?
Independence Elementary School has 446 students enrolled. It is a public school in Clarkston, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence Elementary School is 12.7:1, which is 27% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 19% 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 Independence Elementary School?
12.5% of students at Independence Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Independence Elementary School is White at 89.0% of enrollment, in Clarkston, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence Elementary School?
Independence Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical 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 Independence Elementary School rank among schools in Clarkston?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Elementary School ranks #2 of 6 schools in Clarkston, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Clarkston on the city page.
Is Independence Elementary School a good school?
Independence Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% 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 Clarkston Community School District?
Besides Independence Elementary School, Clarkston Community School District also operates Clarkston High School (1,552 students), Clarkston Junior High School (1,007 students), and Sashabaw Middle School (933 students). See the Clarkston Community School District 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.