Enrollment
441
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sanford, MI
Meridian Junior High School
Federal NCES profile for Meridian Junior High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 262358006036
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 21
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Meridian Junior High School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Michigan schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Sanford · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.2:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 44.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Meridian Junior High School has class sizes larger than 74% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Meridian Junior High School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Sanford, MI.
School address
District: Meridian Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262358006036 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.2:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.4%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Meridian Junior High School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Meridian Junior High School
Meridian Junior High School is a mid-sized elementary school in Sanford, Michigan, enrolling 441 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 44.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 441 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 728 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #520, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (92% of enrollment) (diversity index 15/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 441 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Meridian Public Schools also operates Meridian Elementary School (537 students) and Meridian Early College High School (396 students) alongside Meridian Junior High 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 Meridian Junior High School compares
Meridian Junior High 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 | 19.2:1 | ▲ 10% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.4% | ▼ 18% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 441 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.2:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
441
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% 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
19.2:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 74% in Michigan - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
31.5%
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
$13,255
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 441 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 38 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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 92.3%
Two or More 4.1%
Hispanic or Latino 3.2%
African American 0.5%
Largest group: White at 92.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 14.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 14.5, Meridian Junior High School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Meridian Public Schools, which includes Meridian Junior High School.
$13,255
Per student
-2%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.9%
State 57.4%
Federal 11.7%
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 Meridian Junior High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meridian Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Meridian Early College High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Meridian Junior High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 537
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 396
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
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 (~441 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Meridian Junior High School's federal record.
- Compare Meridian Junior High School against another school. Compare schools
- Meridian 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 Meridian Junior High School
How many students attend Meridian Junior High School?
Meridian Junior High School has 441 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sanford, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Meridian Junior High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Meridian Junior High School is 19.2:1, which is 10% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Meridian Junior High School?
44.4% of students at Meridian Junior High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Meridian Junior High School?
The largest demographic group at Meridian Junior High School is White at 92.3% of enrollment, in Sanford, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Meridian Junior High School?
Meridian Junior High School has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (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 Meridian Junior High School rank among public schools in Sanford?
By Resource Investment Index, Meridian Junior High School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Sanford, 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 Sanford on the city page.
Is Meridian Junior High School a good school?
Meridian Junior High School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger 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 Meridian Public Schools?
Besides Meridian Junior High School, Meridian Public Schools also operates Meridian Elementary School (537 students) and Meridian Early College High School (396 students). See the Meridian 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.