Enrollment
213
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Grand Rapids, MI
Lighthouse Academy South Campus
Federal NCES profile for Lighthouse Academy South Campus, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260094907848Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lighthouse Academy South Campus earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #10 of 44
- schools in Grand Rapids · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.4:1
- students per teacher
- 91.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Lighthouse Academy South Campus has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lighthouse Academy South Campus ranks #10 of 44 schools in Grand Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Lighthouse Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260094907848 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.4:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
91.8%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+69% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lighthouse Academy South Campus compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lighthouse Academy South Campus
Lighthouse Academy South Campus is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 213 students.
At 16.4:1, 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: 91.8% of students qualify for free meals, 69% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 213 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 228 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #88.
Its student body is led by African American (49%) and White (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Lighthouse Academy spends $21,064 per pupil, 56% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 27.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 58 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 213 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Grand Rapids's public schools, it stands alongside City Middlehigh (955 students): Lighthouse Academy South Campus is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.4:1 vs 24.5:1).
Lighthouse Academy also operates Lighthouse Academy Waalkes (73 students) and Lighthouse Academy Eagle Village (32 students) alongside Lighthouse Academy South Campus.
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 Lighthouse Academy South Campus compares
Lighthouse Academy South Campus on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.4:1 | ▼ 6% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 91.8% | ▲ 69% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 213 | top 74% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
213
Bigger than 21% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
91.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% 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
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 46% in Michigan - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
30.5%
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
$21,064
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
20
in-school suspensions + 38 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.2 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 49.3%
White 22.1%
Hispanic or Latino 21.6%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 2.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 49.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.9, Lighthouse Academy South Campus is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lighthouse Academy, which includes Lighthouse Academy South Campus.
$21,064
Per student
+56%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
+27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 7.7%
State 64.9%
Federal 27.4%
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 Lighthouse Academy South Campus Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lighthouse Academy Waalkes | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lighthouse Academy Eagle Village | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lighthouse Academy Ottawa Juvenile Detention Center | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Muskegon County Juvenile Transition Center | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lighthouse Academy Juvenile Justice Institute | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Lighthouse Academy South Campus's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 73
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 32
- Students per teacher
- 10.7:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 17
- Students per teacher
- 5.7:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 14
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 14
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar other schools in Grand Rapids
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
City Middlehigh
Standard public school
955 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Harrison Park Academy
Standard public school
708 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
Standard public school
494 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center
Standard public school
287 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Hope Academy of West Michigan
Standard public school
284 students 10.1:1 students per teacher
Mulick Park Elementary School
Standard public school
264 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
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 (~213 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lighthouse Academy South Campus's federal record.
- Compare Lighthouse Academy South Campus against another school. Compare schools
- Lighthouse 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 Lighthouse Academy South Campus
How many students attend Lighthouse Academy South Campus?
Lighthouse Academy South Campus has 213 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lighthouse Academy South Campus?
The student-teacher ratio at Lighthouse Academy South Campus is 16.4:1, which is 6% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 4% 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 Lighthouse Academy South Campus?
91.8% of students at Lighthouse Academy South Campus are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lighthouse Academy South Campus?
The largest demographic group at Lighthouse Academy South Campus is African American at 49.3% of enrollment, in Grand Rapids, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lighthouse Academy South Campus?
Lighthouse Academy South Campus has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 Lighthouse Academy South Campus rank among schools in Grand Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Lighthouse Academy South Campus ranks #10 of 44 schools in Grand Rapids, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Grand Rapids on the city page.
Is Lighthouse Academy South Campus a good school?
Lighthouse Academy South Campus earns 29/100 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 Lighthouse Academy?
Besides Lighthouse Academy South Campus, Lighthouse Academy also operates Lighthouse Academy Waalkes (73 students), Lighthouse Academy Eagle Village (32 students), and Lighthouse Academy Ottawa Juvenile Detention Center (17 students). See the Lighthouse Academy 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.