Enrollment
1,088
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Grand Rapids, MI
Northern High School
Federal NCES profile for Northern High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 261461005158
👥 S:T ratio 26
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northern High School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also one of the largest schools in Michigan.
- #7 of 22
- high schools in Grand Rapids · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.4:1
- students per teacher
- 14.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Northern High School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northern High School ranks #7 of 22 high schools in Grand Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Forest Hills Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261461005158 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
59.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.4:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
14.8%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-73% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northern High School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northern High School
Northern High School is a lower-poverty, large high school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 1,088 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 14.8% free-meal eligibility runs 73% below the Michigan average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Michigan, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,088 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 161 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #44.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Hispanic or Latino (9%) (diversity index 48/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 21 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 286 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Grand Rapids's high schools, it stands alongside Grand River Preparatory High School (635 students): Northern High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.4:1 vs 21.2:1).
Forest Hills Public Schools also operates Central High School (999 students) and Eastern High School (768 students) alongside Northern 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 Northern High School compares
Northern 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 | 18.4:1 | ▲ 5% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.8% | ▼ 73% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,088 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.4:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,088
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
14.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 73% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.4:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 67% in Michigan - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
26.1%
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
$12,945
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
Counselors3.8 FTE
Per 286 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 42 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 70.7%
Hispanic or Latino 8.5%
Asian 8.3%
African American 6.5%
Two or More 6.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 70.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.8, Northern High School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 21
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Forest Hills Public Schools, which includes Northern High School.
$12,945
Per student
-4%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.7%
State 52.0%
Federal 5.4%
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.
How Northern High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastern High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eastern Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northern Trails 56 School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Knapp Forest Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northern High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 999
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 768
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 528
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 520
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 520
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar high schools in Grand Rapids
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Grand River Preparatory High School
Standard public school
635 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
West Michigan Aviation Academy
Standard public school
600 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Innovation Central High
Standard public school
386 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Covenant House Academy Grand Rapids
Alternative education program
218 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Nextech High School
Standard public school
144 students 24:1 students per teacher
Kenowa Hills Pathways High School
Alternative education program
99 students 33:1 students per teacher
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 (~1,088 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northern High School's federal record.
- Compare Northern High School against another school. Compare schools
- Forest Hills 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 Northern High School
How many students attend Northern High School?
Northern High School has 1,088 students enrolled. It is a high school in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northern High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northern High School is 18.4:1, which is 5% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northern High School?
14.8% of students at Northern High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northern High School?
The largest demographic group at Northern High School is White at 70.7% of enrollment, in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northern High School?
Northern High School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Northern High School rank among high schools in Grand Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Northern High School ranks #7 of 22 high 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 high schools in Grand Rapids on the city page.
Is Northern High School a good school?
Northern High School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also one of the largest schools in Michigan. 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 Forest Hills Public Schools?
Besides Northern High School, Forest Hills Public Schools also operates Central High School (999 students), Eastern High School (768 students), and Eastern Middle School (528 students). See the Forest Hills 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.