Enrollment
222
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Garden City, MI
Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center
Federal NCES profile for Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 261554008140
👥 S:T ratio 69
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of Michigan schools.
- #2 of 5
- public schools in Garden City · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 7.7:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 56.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center has class sizes smaller than 94% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Garden City, MI.
School address
District: Garden City Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261554008140 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
7.7:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-56% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.6%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center
Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Garden City, Michigan, enrolling 222 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 7.7:1, Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center is leaner than roughly 94% of Michigan schools and 56% under the state's 17.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 56.6% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 222 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 409 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #118.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and African American (14%) (diversity index 47/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 59.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Garden City Public Schools spends $18,419 per pupil, 36% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Garden City's public schools, it stands alongside Tipton Academy Pk3 (301 students): Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (7.7:1 vs 14.3:1).
Garden City Public Schools also operates Garden City High School (896 students) and Farmington 56 Campus (455 students) alongside Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center.
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 Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center compares
Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 7.7:1 | ▼ 56% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.6% | ▲ 4% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 222 | top 72% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7.7:1
Leaner classes than 96% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
222
Bigger than 22% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% 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
7.7:1
students per teacher
- 56% below state mean
Top 6% in Michigan - lower ratio than 94% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
59.5%
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
$18,419
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
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: 11.7 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 70.7%
African American 14.0%
Hispanic or Latino 7.7%
Two or More 6.8%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: White at 70.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.0, Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Garden City Public Schools, which includes Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center.
$18,419
Per student
+36%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
+11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.1%
State 56.4%
Federal 9.5%
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.
How Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden City High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Farmington 56 Campus | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Garden City Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Memorial Elementary 12 Campus | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Douglas Elementary 34 Campus | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 896
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 455
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 423
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 419
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 412
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Similar other schools in Garden City
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other 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 (~222 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~7.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center's federal record.
- Compare Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center against another school. Compare schools
- Garden City 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 Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center
How many students attend Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center?
Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center has 222 students enrolled. It is a public school in Garden City, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center is 7.7:1, which is 56% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 51% lower 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 Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center?
56.6% of students at Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center?
The largest demographic group at Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center is White at 70.7% of enrollment, in Garden City, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center?
Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical 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 Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center rank among public schools in Garden City?
By Resource Investment Index, Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Garden City, 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 Garden City on the city page.
Is Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center a good school?
Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% 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 Garden City Public Schools?
Besides Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center, Garden City Public Schools also operates Garden City High School (896 students), Farmington 56 Campus (455 students), and Garden City Middle School (423 students). See the Garden City 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.