Enrollment
140
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Jackson, MI
John R Lewis Elementary
Federal NCES profile for John R Lewis Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 261962008990
👥 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 R Lewis Elementary earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #5 of 9
- elementary schools in Jackson · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.5:1
- students per teacher
- 93.1%
- free-lunch eligible
John R Lewis Elementary has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John R Lewis Elementary ranks #5 of 9 elementary schools in Jackson, MI.
School address
District: Jackson Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261962008990 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
8.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
93.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+71% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John R Lewis Elementary compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at John R Lewis Elementary
John R Lewis Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Jackson, Michigan, enrolling 140 students.
At 17.5:1, 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.
Economic need is high: 93.1% of students qualify for free meals, 71% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 140 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 127 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #96, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (49%) and White (36%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 61/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 64.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Jackson's elementary schools, it stands alongside Francis Street Primary School (31 students): John R Lewis Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.5:1 vs 10.3:1).
Jackson Public Schools also operates Jackson High School (989 students) and Middle School at Parkside (750 students) alongside John R Lewis Elementary.
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 R Lewis Elementary compares
John R Lewis Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.5:1 | ▼ 0% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 93.1% | ▲ 71% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 140 | top 82% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
140
Bigger than 14% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
93.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 57% in Michigan - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
64.3%
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
$15,274
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 + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 48.6%
White 36.4%
Two or More 12.9%
Hispanic or Latino 2.1%
Largest group: African American at 48.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.4, John R Lewis Elementary is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jackson Public Schools, which includes John R Lewis Elementary.
$15,274
Per student
+13%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.8%
State 49.8%
Federal 21.4%
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 R Lewis Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Middle School at Parkside | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Central Michigan Virtual | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cascades Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northeast Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John R Lewis Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 989
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 750
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 402
- Students per teacher
- 80.4:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 398
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 396
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools in Jackson
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 (~140 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John R Lewis Elementary's federal record.
- Compare John R Lewis Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Jackson 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 John R Lewis Elementary
How many students attend John R Lewis Elementary?
John R Lewis Elementary has 140 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Jackson, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John R Lewis Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at John R Lewis Elementary is 17.5:1, which is 0% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John R Lewis Elementary?
93.1% of students at John R Lewis Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John R Lewis Elementary?
The largest demographic group at John R Lewis Elementary is African American at 48.6% of enrollment, in Jackson, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John R Lewis Elementary?
John R Lewis Elementary 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 R Lewis Elementary rank among elementary schools in Jackson?
By Resource Investment Index, John R Lewis Elementary ranks #5 of 9 elementary schools in Jackson, 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 Jackson on the city page.
Is John R Lewis Elementary a good school?
John R Lewis Elementary earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. 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 Jackson Public Schools?
Besides John R Lewis Elementary, Jackson Public Schools also operates Jackson High School (989 students), Middle School at Parkside (750 students), and South Central Michigan Virtual (402 students). See the Jackson 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.