Enrollment
145
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 260015300934 Charter school
North Star Montessori Academy — Marquette, MI
Federal NCES profile for North Star Montessori Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 38/100.
👥 Class size 52
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 71
📋 Attendance 0
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: North Star Montessori Academy · Michigan
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.9:1
vs 18.2:1 Michigan avg
-35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.9%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Star Montessori Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
North Star Montessori Academy reports 145 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 16.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 35% below the Michigan state mean of 18.2:1, signalling more teacher attention per pupil than the state benchmark. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 25% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 47.9% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 12% below the Michigan average and 8% below the national baseline. Counselor coverage works out to roughly 145 students per counselor, meeting the American School Counselor Association recommendation of 250:1. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 86.9% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding North Star Montessori Academy spends $11,850 per pupil district-wide, below the Michigan average of $15,842 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 9.2% from local sources (property taxes), 71.3% from the state, and 19.4% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (F), calculated from 4 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How North Star Montessori Academy compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Michigan state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.9:1 | ▼ 35% | 18.2:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.9% | ▼ 12% | 54.3% | 51.8% |
| Enrollment | 145 | top 18% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
47.9%
free-lunch eligible
— 12% 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
11.9:1
students per teacher
— 35% below state mean
Top 10% in Michigan — lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Engagement
86.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Chronic absenteeism at or above 20% — the CDC threshold for "high" — signals significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,850
per pupil, district-wide
— below Michigan avg of $15,842
Below the U.S. average per-pupil spend — funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 145 students — the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 145 Top 18% in Michigan — larger than 82% of 3,399 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 16.0
Students per teacher 11.9:1 -35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 47.9% -12% vs state
NCES ID 260015300934
Student demographics
White 86.2%
Two or More 6.9%
African American 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.1%
Hispanic or Latino 1.4%
Asian 1.4%
Largest group: White at 86.2% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 1.0
Students per counselor 145:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 86.9%
In-school suspensions 2
Out-of-school suspensions 2
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for North Star Montessori Academy, which includes North Star Montessori Academy.
$11,850
Per student
-25%
vs Michigan
Avg $15,842
-39%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 9.2%
State 71.3%
Federal 19.4%
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 other schools in Marquette
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Marquette Senior High School
Standard public school
940 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Superior Hills Elementary School
Standard public school
405 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Sandy Knoll School
Standard public school
322 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
Marquettealger Administrative Unit
Standard public school
38 students 8:1 students per teacher
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about North Star Montessori Academy
How many students attend North Star Montessori Academy?
North Star Montessori Academy has 145 students enrolled. It is a other school in MARQUETTE, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Star Montessori Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at North Star Montessori Academy is 11.9:1, which is 35% lower than the Michigan average of 18.2:1 and 25% lower than the national average of 15.9:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at North Star Montessori Academy?
47.9% of students at North Star Montessori Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Star Montessori Academy?
The largest demographic group at North Star Montessori Academy is White at 86.2%. The school serves a diverse student body in MARQUETTE, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Star Montessori Academy?
North Star Montessori Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (F) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.