Enrollment
355
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Gladstone, MI
James T Jones Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for James T Jones 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 261597001669
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James T Jones Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Michigan schools.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Gladstone · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.7:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 41.1%
- free-lunch eligible
James T Jones Elementary School has class sizes larger than 70% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James T Jones Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Gladstone, MI.
School address
District: Gladstone Area Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261597001669 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.7:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James T Jones Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at James T Jones Elementary School
James T Jones Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Gladstone, Michigan, enrolling 355 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 41.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 355 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 665 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #395.
Its student body is predominantly White (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 25/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Gladstone Area Schools also operates Gladstone Area High School (472 students) and Gladstone Area Middle School (346 students) alongside James T Jones 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 James T Jones Elementary School compares
James T Jones 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 | 18.7:1 | ▲ 7% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.1% | ▼ 24% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 355 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.7:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
355
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
18.7:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 70% in Michigan - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
30.7%
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
$11,155
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
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 86.2%
Two or More 9.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.5%
Hispanic or Latino 1.1%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 86.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 24.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 24.7, James T Jones Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gladstone Area Schools, which includes James T Jones Elementary School.
$11,155
Per student
-17%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.2%
State 69.1%
Federal 10.6%
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 James T Jones Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gladstone Area High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gladstone Area Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cameron Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James T Jones Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 472
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 346
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 321
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
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 (~355 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James T Jones Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare James T Jones Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Gladstone Area 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 James T Jones Elementary School
How many students attend James T Jones Elementary School?
James T Jones Elementary School has 355 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Gladstone, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James T Jones Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at James T Jones Elementary School is 18.7:1, which is 7% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 19% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James T Jones Elementary School?
41.1% of students at James T Jones Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James T Jones Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at James T Jones Elementary School is White at 86.2% of enrollment, in Gladstone, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James T Jones Elementary School?
James T Jones 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 James T Jones Elementary School rank among public schools in Gladstone?
By Resource Investment Index, James T Jones Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Gladstone, 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 Gladstone on the city page.
Is James T Jones Elementary School a good school?
James T Jones Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% 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 Gladstone Area Schools?
Besides James T Jones Elementary School, Gladstone Area Schools also operates Gladstone Area High School (472 students), Gladstone Area Middle School (346 students), and Cameron Elementary School (321 students). See the Gladstone Area 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.