Enrollment
857
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · East Lansing, MI
Macdonald Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Macdonald Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 261260004979
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Macdonald Middle School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #9 of 11
- public schools in East Lansing · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.4:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 33.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Macdonald Middle School has class sizes larger than 87% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Macdonald Middle School ranks #9 of 11 public schools in East Lansing, MI.
School address
District: East Lansing School District · Michigan
NCES ID 261260004979 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.4:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.7%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Macdonald Middle School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Macdonald Middle School
Macdonald Middle School is a large middle school in East Lansing, Michigan, enrolling 857 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.4:1 is larger than about 87% of Michigan schools and 22% 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 33.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Michigan, bigger than 93% of state schools at 857 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 313 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #205.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and African American (18%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 286 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
East Lansing School District also operates East Lansing High School (1,231 students) and Marble School (306 students) alongside Macdonald Middle 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 Macdonald Middle School compares
Macdonald Middle 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 | 21.4:1 | ▲ 22% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.7% | ▼ 38% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 857 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
857
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 87% in Michigan - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
37.5%
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
$12,101
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 286 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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 52.9%
African American 18.0%
Hispanic or Latino 13.2%
Two or More 11.0%
Asian 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 52.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.6, Macdonald Middle School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for East Lansing School District, which includes Macdonald Middle School.
$12,101
Per student
-10%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.5%
State 45.9%
Federal 9.6%
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 Macdonald Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Lansing High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Marble School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Glencairn School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Whitehills Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Robert L Green Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Macdonald Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,231
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 306
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 298
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 286
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 273
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar middle 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 (~857 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Macdonald Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Macdonald Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- East Lansing 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 Macdonald Middle School
How many students attend Macdonald Middle School?
Macdonald Middle School has 857 students enrolled. It is a middle school in East Lansing, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Macdonald Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Macdonald Middle School is 21.4:1, which is 22% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Macdonald Middle School?
33.7% of students at Macdonald Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Macdonald Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Macdonald Middle School is White at 52.9% of enrollment, in East Lansing, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Macdonald Middle School?
Macdonald Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Macdonald Middle School rank among public schools in East Lansing?
By Resource Investment Index, Macdonald Middle School ranks #9 of 11 public schools in East Lansing, 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 East Lansing on the city page.
Is Macdonald Middle School a good school?
Macdonald Middle School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Michigan schools. 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 East Lansing School District?
Besides Macdonald Middle School, East Lansing School District also operates East Lansing High School (1,231 students), Marble School (306 students), and Glencairn School (298 students). See the East Lansing 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.