Enrollment
353
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Flat Rock, MI
John M Barnes Elem School
Federal NCES profile for John M Barnes Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260708004307
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John M Barnes Elem School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Flat Rock · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.6:1
- students per teacher
- 52.1%
- free-lunch eligible
John M Barnes Elem School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John M Barnes Elem School ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Flat Rock, MI.
School address
District: Flat Rock Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260708004307 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John M Barnes Elem School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at John M Barnes Elem School
John M Barnes Elem School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Flat Rock, Michigan, enrolling 353 students.
At 17.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Michigan median, within a few percentage points of the 17.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 52.1% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 353 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 707 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #596, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and African American (8%) (diversity index 36/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Flat Rock Community Schools also operates Flat Rock Community High School (501 students) and Thomas Simpson Middle School (417 students) alongside John M Barnes Elem 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 John M Barnes Elem School compares
John M Barnes Elem 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 | 17.6:1 | ▲ 1% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.1% | ▼ 4% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 353 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
353
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% 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
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 59% in Michigan - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
48.4%
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
$12,280
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
11
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.4 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 79.0%
African American 7.9%
Two or More 7.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.4%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: White at 79.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.2, John M Barnes Elem School is about as mixed as the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Flat Rock Community Schools, which includes John M Barnes Elem School.
$12,280
Per student
-9%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.4%
State 63.1%
Federal 7.4%
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 John M Barnes Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Rock Community High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thomas Simpson Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ethel C Bobcean Elem School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Flat Rock Academic Virtual Academy | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John M Barnes Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 501
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 417
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 376
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 107
- Students per teacher
- 35.7:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
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 (~353 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John M Barnes Elem School's federal record.
- Compare John M Barnes Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Flat Rock Community 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 John M Barnes Elem School
How many students attend John M Barnes Elem School?
John M Barnes Elem School has 353 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Flat Rock, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John M Barnes Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at John M Barnes Elem School is 17.6:1, which is 1% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 12% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John M Barnes Elem School?
52.1% of students at John M Barnes Elem School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John M Barnes Elem School?
The largest demographic group at John M Barnes Elem School is White at 79.0% of enrollment, in Flat Rock, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John M Barnes Elem School?
John M Barnes Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (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 John M Barnes Elem School rank among elementary schools in Flat Rock?
By Resource Investment Index, John M Barnes Elem School ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Flat Rock, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Flat Rock on the city page.
Is John M Barnes Elem School a good school?
John M Barnes Elem School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. 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 Flat Rock Community Schools?
Besides John M Barnes Elem School, Flat Rock Community Schools also operates Flat Rock Community High School (501 students), Thomas Simpson Middle School (417 students), and Ethel C Bobcean Elem School (376 students). See the Flat Rock Community 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.