Enrollment
119
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Battle Creek, MI
Michigan Youth Challenge Academy
Federal NCES profile for Michigan Youth Challenge Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 262297008477
👥 S:T ratio 21
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Michigan Youth Challenge Academy earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Battle Creek · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.8:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 49.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Michigan Youth Challenge Academy has class sizes larger than 79% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Michigan Youth Challenge Academy ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Battle Creek, MI.
School address
District: Marshall Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262297008477 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
6.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.8:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Michigan Youth Challenge Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Michigan Youth Challenge Academy
Michigan Youth Challenge Academy is a small high school in Battle Creek, Michigan, enrolling 119 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 49.1% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 119 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.
Among 134 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #102, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and African American (18%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 57/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Its district draws 15.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Battle Creek's high schools, it stands alongside West Michigan Virtual Battle Creek Hs (370 students): Michigan Youth Challenge Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.8:1 vs 61.7:1).
Marshall Public Schools also operates Marshall High School (787 students) and Marshall Middle School (541 students) alongside Michigan Youth Challenge Academy.
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 Michigan Youth Challenge Academy compares
Michigan Youth Challenge Academy on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.8:1 | ▲ 13% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.1% | ▼ 10% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 119 | top 85% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.8:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
119
Bigger than 12% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% 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
19.8:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 79% in Michigan - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$13,222
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 + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 62.2%
African American 17.6%
Hispanic or Latino 10.1%
Two or More 8.4%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: White at 62.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.5, Michigan Youth Challenge Academy is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Marshall Public Schools, which includes Michigan Youth Challenge Academy.
$13,222
Per student
-2%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.7%
State 54.2%
Federal 15.1%
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 Michigan Youth Challenge Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marshall Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Walters Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hughes Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gordon Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Michigan Youth Challenge Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 787
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 541
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 293
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 261
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 252
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar high schools in Battle Creek
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~119 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Michigan Youth Challenge Academy's federal record.
- Compare Michigan Youth Challenge Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Marshall 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 Michigan Youth Challenge Academy
How many students attend Michigan Youth Challenge Academy?
Michigan Youth Challenge Academy has 119 students enrolled. It is a high school in Battle Creek, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Michigan Youth Challenge Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Michigan Youth Challenge Academy is 19.8:1, which is 13% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 26% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Michigan Youth Challenge Academy?
49.1% of students at Michigan Youth Challenge Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Michigan Youth Challenge Academy?
The largest demographic group at Michigan Youth Challenge Academy is White at 62.2% of enrollment, in Battle Creek, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Michigan Youth Challenge Academy?
Michigan Youth Challenge Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Michigan Youth Challenge Academy rank among public schools in Battle Creek?
By Resource Investment Index, Michigan Youth Challenge Academy ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Battle Creek, 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 Battle Creek on the city page.
Is Michigan Youth Challenge Academy a good school?
Michigan Youth Challenge Academy earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% 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 Marshall Public Schools?
Besides Michigan Youth Challenge Academy, Marshall Public Schools also operates Marshall High School (787 students), Marshall Middle School (541 students), and Walters Elementary (293 students). See the Marshall 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.