Enrollment
388
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Howard City, MI
Macnaughton School
Federal NCES profile for Macnaughton School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 263393006959
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Macnaughton School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of Michigan schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Howard City · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 55.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Macnaughton School has class sizes smaller than 74% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Macnaughton School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Howard City, MI.
School address
District: Tri County Area Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 263393006959 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.9%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Macnaughton School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Macnaughton School
Macnaughton School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Howard City, Michigan, enrolling 388 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 55.9% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 388 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 702 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #104.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Tri County Area Schools also operates Sand Lake Elementary School (780 students) and Tri County Senior High School (473 students) alongside Macnaughton 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 Macnaughton School compares
Macnaughton 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 | 14.4:1 | ▼ 18% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.9% | ▲ 3% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 388 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
388
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 26% in Michigan - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
29.1%
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
$12,858
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 + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 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.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tri County Area Schools, which includes Macnaughton School.
$12,858
Per student
-5%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.6%
State 62.9%
Federal 14.6%
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 Macnaughton School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sand Lake Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tri County Senior High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tri County Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Macnaughton School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 780
- Students per teacher
- 33.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 473
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 381
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
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 (~388 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Macnaughton School's federal record.
- Compare Macnaughton School against another school. Compare schools
- Tri County Area 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 Macnaughton School
How many students attend Macnaughton School?
Macnaughton School has 388 students enrolled. It is a public school in Howard City, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Macnaughton School?
The student-teacher ratio at Macnaughton School is 14.4:1, which is 18% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 8% 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 Macnaughton School?
55.9% of students at Macnaughton School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Macnaughton School?
Macnaughton School 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 Macnaughton School rank among public schools in Howard City?
By Resource Investment Index, Macnaughton School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Howard 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 Howard City on the city page.
Is Macnaughton School a good school?
Macnaughton School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% 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 Tri County Area Schools?
Besides Macnaughton School, Tri County Area Schools also operates Sand Lake Elementary School (780 students), Tri County Senior High School (473 students), and Tri County Middle School (381 students). See the Tri County Area 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.