- Enrollment
- 379
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Niles, MI
Merritt Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Merritt Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260660000470
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Merritt Elementary School earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16:1
- students per teacher
- 64.5%
- free-lunch eligible
- 304
- students enrolled
Merritt Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Brandywine Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260660000470 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+16 students YoY
Merritt Elementary School grew from 304 students in 2022-23 to 320 in 2023-24 (+5.3%).
Teacher FTE added 20.0 → 20.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+16 students YoY 260660000470 · Niles, MI Other · SMALL · TRAD
304 enr · 16:1 · 64.5% lunch · RII 24
Nearest enrollment peer: Brandywine Elementary School (379 students)
Merritt Elementary School grew from 304 students in 2022-23 to 320 in 2023-24 (+5.3%). Teacher FTE added 20.0 → 20.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Michigan schools → · Find another →
Merritt Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Brandywine Ele
Brandywine Elementary School
379 students
- Brandywine Sen
Brandywine Senior High School
366 students
- This school
Merritt Elementary School
304 students
- Brandywine Mid
Brandywine Middle School
183 students
- Brandywine Inn 69
Brandywine Innovation Academy
69 students
What this shows Merritt Elementary School reports 304 students on the CCD universe file.
How Merritt Elementary School compares
Merritt Elementary School is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16:1 | ▼ 9% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.5% | ▲ 19% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 304 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
304
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
64.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
16:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 42% in Michigan - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.3%
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
$13,432
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $15,012
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 77.3%
Two or More 9.9%
Hispanic or Latino 8.2%
African American 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 77.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.5, Merritt Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
District finance for Brandywine Community Schools reports $13,432 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Merritt Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandywine Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Brandywine Senior High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brandywine Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brandywine Innovation Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Merritt Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 366
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 183
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 69
- Students per teacher
- 69:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~304 students)
Frequently asked questions about Merritt Elementary School
How many students attend Merritt Elementary School?
Merritt Elementary School has 304 students enrolled. It is a public school in Niles, MI. CCD year-over-year: 304 (2022-23) → 320 (2023-24), up 16.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Merritt Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Merritt Elementary School is 16:1, which is 9% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 2% 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 Merritt Elementary School?
64.5% of students at Merritt Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Merritt Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Merritt Elementary School is White at 77.3% of enrollment, in Niles, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Merritt Elementary School?
Merritt Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Brandywine Community Schools?
Besides Merritt Elementary School, Brandywine Community Schools also operates Brandywine Elementary School (379 students), Brandywine Senior High School (366 students), and Brandywine Middle School (183 students). See the Brandywine Community Schools district page for the complete list.