Enrollment
520
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Grand Rapids, MI
Northern Trails 56 School
Federal NCES profile for Northern Trails 56 School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 261461000900
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northern Trails 56 School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Michigan schools.
- #5 of 24
- elementary schools in Grand Rapids · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.3:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 14.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Northern Trails 56 School has class sizes larger than 75% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northern Trails 56 School ranks #5 of 24 elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Forest Hills Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261461000900 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
14.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-74% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northern Trails 56 School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northern Trails 56 School
Northern Trails 56 School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 520 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 14.2% free-meal eligibility runs 74% below the Michigan average.
Enrollment of 520 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 371 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #154.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 520 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Grand Rapids's elementary schools, it stands alongside River City Scholars Charter Academy (286 students): Northern Trails 56 School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.3:1 vs 10.2:1).
Forest Hills Public Schools also operates Northern High School (1,088 students) and Central High School (999 students) alongside Northern Trails 56 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 Trails 56 School compares
Northern Trails 56 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 | 19.3:1 | ▲ 10% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.2% | ▼ 74% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 520 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.3:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
520
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
14.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 74% 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
19.3:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 75% in Michigan - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
19.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 520 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.7 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 66.5%
Hispanic or Latino 11.5%
Asian 9.0%
Two or More 7.3%
African American 5.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 66.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.8, Northern Trails 56 School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Forest Hills Public Schools, which includes Northern Trails 56 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 Trails 56 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eastern High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eastern Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Knapp Forest Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northern Trails 56 School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,088
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- 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
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
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 (~520 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northern Trails 56 School's federal record.
- Compare Northern Trails 56 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 Trails 56 School
How many students attend Northern Trails 56 School?
Northern Trails 56 School has 520 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northern Trails 56 School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northern Trails 56 School is 19.3:1, which is 10% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 23% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northern Trails 56 School?
14.2% of students at Northern Trails 56 School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northern Trails 56 School?
The largest demographic group at Northern Trails 56 School is White at 66.5% of enrollment, in Grand Rapids, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northern Trails 56 School?
Northern Trails 56 School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Northern Trails 56 School rank among elementary schools in Grand Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Northern Trails 56 School ranks #5 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 Northern Trails 56 School a good school?
Northern Trails 56 School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of 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 Forest Hills Public Schools?
Besides Northern Trails 56 School, Forest Hills Public Schools also operates Northern High School (1,088 students), Central High School (999 students), and Eastern High School (768 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.