Enrollment
93
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sault S Marie, MI
Lake Superior Academy
Federal NCES profile for Lake Superior Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 12/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260109308687Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 7
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lake Superior Academy earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Michigan schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Sault S Marie · Resource Index
- 12
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.3:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 47.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Lake Superior Academy has class sizes larger than 92% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lake Superior Academy ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Sault S Marie, MI.
School address
District: Lake Superior Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260109308687 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
4.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lake Superior Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lake Superior Academy
Lake Superior Academy is a small charter elementary school in Sault S Marie, Michigan, enrolling 93 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.3:1 is larger than about 92% of Michigan schools and 33% above the 17.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 47.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 93 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 97 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #93, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (16%) (diversity index 47/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 55.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Lake Superior Academy spends $9,080 per pupil, 33% below the Michigan average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 21.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Lake Superior Academy is a single-school charter district, so Lake Superior Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Lake Superior Academy compares
Lake Superior Academy on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23.3:1 | ▲ 33% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.1% | ▼ 13% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 93 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.3:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
93
Bigger than 9% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
23.3:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 92% in Michigan - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
55.9%
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
$9,080
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 + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 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 69.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 16.1%
Two or More 11.8%
African American 1.1%
Hispanic or Latino 1.1%
Largest group: White at 69.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.1, Lake Superior Academy is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lake Superior Academy, which includes Lake Superior Academy.
$9,080
Per student
-33%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-45%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.7%
State 75.7%
Federal 21.5%
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.
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 (~93 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lake Superior Academy's federal record.
- Compare Lake Superior Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Lake Superior Academy'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 Lake Superior Academy
How many students attend Lake Superior Academy?
Lake Superior Academy has 93 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sault S Marie, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lake Superior Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Lake Superior Academy is 23.3:1, which is 33% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 48% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lake Superior Academy?
47.1% of students at Lake Superior Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lake Superior Academy?
The largest demographic group at Lake Superior Academy is White at 69.9% of enrollment, in Sault S Marie, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lake Superior Academy?
Lake Superior Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 12/100 (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 Lake Superior Academy rank among public schools in Sault S Marie?
By Resource Investment Index, Lake Superior Academy ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Sault S Marie, 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 Sault S Marie on the city page.
Is Lake Superior Academy a good school?
Lake Superior Academy earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% 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 Lake Superior Academy?
None; Lake Superior Academy is a single-school charter district, and Lake Superior Academy is its only campus.
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.