- Enrollment
- 1,391
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Portage, MI
Lake Center Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Lake Center Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 262895006488
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lake Center Elementary School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #8 of 9
- schools in Portage · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.9:1
- students per teacher
- 22.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Lake Center Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lake Center Elementary School ranks #8 of 9 schools in Portage, MI.
School address
District: Portage Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262895006488 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-13 students YoY
Lake Center Elementary School held near 516 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-13 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 31.5 → 31.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-13 students YoY 262895006488 · Portage, MI Other · SMALL · TRAD
494 enr · 15.9:1 · 22.1% lunch · RII 29
Nearest enrollment peer: Portage Central High School (1,391 students)
Lake Center Elementary School held near 516 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-13 headcount). Teacher FTE held 31.5 → 31.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Michigan schools → · Find another →
Lake Center Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Portage Centra
Portage Central High School
1,391 students
- Portage Northe
Portage Northern High School
1,194 students
- Portage Centra
Portage Central Middle School
719 students
- Portage West M
Portage West Middle School
717 students
- Portage North
Portage North Middle School
609 students
- This school 494
Lake Center Elementary School
494 students
What this shows Lake Center Elementary School reports 494 students on the CCD universe file.
How Lake Center Elementary School compares
Lake Center Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.9:1 | ▼ 9% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.1% | ▼ 59% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 494 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
494
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
22.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% 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
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 41% in Michigan - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.2%
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
$13,765
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $15,012
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.
Student demographics
White 76.1%
Two or More 9.7%
Hispanic or Latino 8.1%
Asian 3.6%
African American 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 76.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.3, Lake Center Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
District finance for Portage Public Schools reports $13,765 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Lake Center Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portage Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Portage Northern High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Portage Central Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Portage West Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Portage North Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lake Center Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,194
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 719
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 717
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 609
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar other schools in Portage
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~494 students)
Frequently asked questions about Lake Center Elementary School
How many students attend Lake Center Elementary School?
Lake Center Elementary School has 494 students enrolled. It is a public school in Portage, MI. CCD year-over-year: 529 (2022-23) → 516 (2023-24), nearly flat (-13).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lake Center Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lake Center Elementary School is 15.9:1, which is 9% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 1% higher 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 Lake Center Elementary School?
22.1% of students at Lake Center Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lake Center Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Lake Center Elementary School is White at 76.1% of enrollment, in Portage, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lake Center Elementary School?
Lake Center Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Lake Center Elementary School rank among schools in Portage?
By Resource Investment Index, Lake Center Elementary School ranks #8 of 9 schools in Portage, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Portage on the city page.
What other schools are in Portage Public Schools?
Besides Lake Center Elementary School, Portage Public Schools also operates Portage Central High School (1,391 students), Portage Northern High School (1,194 students), and Portage Central Middle School (719 students). See the Portage Public Schools district page for the complete list.