Enrollment
278
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Waterford, MI
Knudsen Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Knudsen Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 263531007149
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 9
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Knudsen Elementary School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #3 of 4
- elementary schools in Waterford · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.5:1
- students per teacher
- 63.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Knudsen Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Knudsen Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Waterford, MI.
School address
District: Waterford School District · Michigan
NCES ID 263531007149 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.5:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.5%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Knudsen Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Knudsen Elementary School
Knudsen Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Waterford, Michigan, enrolling 278 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.5:1 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.
With 278 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 521 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #394, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (68%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 50/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Waterford's elementary schools, it stands alongside Grayson Elementary (437 students): Knudsen Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.5:1 vs 20.8:1).
Waterford School District also operates Waterford Mott High School (963 students) and Waterford Kettering High School (909 students) alongside Knudsen 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 Knudsen Elementary School compares
Knudsen 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 | 18.5:1 | ▲ 6% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.5% | ▲ 17% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 278 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.5:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
278
Bigger than 29% 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
18.5:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 68% in Michigan - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
36.3%
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
$15,819
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.7 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 68.3%
Hispanic or Latino 14.7%
African American 9.7%
Two or More 5.8%
Asian 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 68.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.9, Knudsen Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Waterford School District, which includes Knudsen Elementary School.
$15,819
Per student
+17%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.7%
State 52.2%
Federal 9.1%
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 Knudsen Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterford Mott High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Waterford Kettering High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pierce Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mason Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Grayson Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Knudsen Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 963
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 909
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 733
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 731
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 437
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar elementary schools in Waterford
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 (~278 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Knudsen Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Knudsen Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Waterford 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 Knudsen Elementary School
How many students attend Knudsen Elementary School?
Knudsen Elementary School has 278 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Waterford, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Knudsen Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Knudsen Elementary School is 18.5:1, which is 6% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Knudsen Elementary School?
63.5% of students at Knudsen Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Knudsen Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Knudsen Elementary School is White at 68.3% of enrollment, in Waterford, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Knudsen Elementary School?
Knudsen Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (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 Knudsen Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Waterford?
By Resource Investment Index, Knudsen Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Waterford, 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 Waterford on the city page.
Is Knudsen Elementary School a good school?
Knudsen Elementary School earns 22/100 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 Waterford School District?
Besides Knudsen Elementary School, Waterford School District also operates Waterford Mott High School (963 students), Waterford Kettering High School (909 students), and Pierce Middle School (733 students). See the Waterford 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.