Enrollment
345
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Grand Rapids, MI
New Branches Charter Academy
Federal NCES profile for New Branches Charter Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260009000594Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
New Branches Charter Academy earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #6 of 24
- elementary schools in Grand Rapids · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.7:1
- students per teacher
- 75.4%
- free-lunch eligible
New Branches Charter Academy has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, New Branches Charter Academy ranks #6 of 24 elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI.
School address
District: New Branches Charter Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260009000594 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.4%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How New Branches Charter Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at New Branches Charter Academy
New Branches Charter Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter elementary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 345 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 75.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 345 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 478 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #71.
Its student body is led by African American (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Grand Rapids's elementary schools, it stands alongside River City Scholars Charter Academy (286 students): New Branches Charter Academy is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.7:1 vs 10.2:1).
New Branches Charter Academy is a single-school charter district, so New Branches Charter Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 New Branches Charter Academy compares
New Branches Charter 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 | 15.7:1 | ▼ 10% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.4% | ▲ 39% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 345 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
345
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 39% in Michigan - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.2%
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
$11,875
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
4
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.1 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
African American 51.0%
Hispanic or Latino 25.8%
White 9.9%
Two or More 9.6%
Asian 3.8%
Largest group: African American at 51.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.3, New Branches Charter Academy is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for New Branches Charter Academy, which includes New Branches Charter Academy.
$11,875
Per student
-12%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 10.1%
State 69.2%
Federal 20.7%
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.
Similar elementary schools in Grand Rapids
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~345 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on New Branches Charter Academy's federal record.
- Compare New Branches Charter Academy against another school. Compare schools
- New Branches Charter Academy'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 New Branches Charter Academy
How many students attend New Branches Charter Academy?
New Branches Charter Academy has 345 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at New Branches Charter Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at New Branches Charter Academy is 15.7:1, which is 10% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 0% 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 New Branches Charter Academy?
75.4% of students at New Branches Charter Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of New Branches Charter Academy?
The largest demographic group at New Branches Charter Academy is African American at 51.0% of enrollment, in Grand Rapids, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for New Branches Charter Academy?
New Branches Charter Academy 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 New Branches Charter Academy rank among elementary schools in Grand Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, New Branches Charter Academy ranks #6 of 24 elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Grand Rapids on the city page.
Is New Branches Charter Academy a good school?
New Branches Charter Academy earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. 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 New Branches Charter Academy?
None; New Branches Charter Academy is a single-school charter district, and New Branches Charter Academy is its only campus.
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.