Enrollment
157
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Jackson, MI
Northwest Connect
Federal NCES profile for Northwest Connect, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 10/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 262601000870
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northwest Connect earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Michigan schools.
- #5 of 5
- schools in Jackson · Resource Index
- 10
- Resource Index · Lower
- 39.3:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 65.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Northwest Connect has class sizes larger than 98% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northwest Connect ranks #5 of 5 schools in Jackson, MI.
School address
District: Northwest Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262601000870 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
4.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
39.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+125% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.6%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northwest Connect compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northwest Connect
Northwest Connect is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Jackson, Michigan, enrolling 157 students.
Class loads run heavy: 39.3:1 is larger than about 98% of Michigan schools and 125% above the 17.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 65.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 157 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 243 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #235, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and Two or More (15%) (diversity index 44/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 58.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 61 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 157 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Jackson's public schools, it stands alongside South Central Michigan Virtual (402 students): Northwest Connect is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (39.3:1 vs 80.4:1).
Northwest Community Schools also operates Northwest High School (958 students) and Northwest Early Elementary School (848 students) alongside Northwest Connect.
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 Northwest Connect compares
Northwest Connect on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 39.3:1 | ▲ 125% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.6% | ▲ 21% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 157 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
39.3:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
157
Bigger than 15% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
39.3:1
students per teacher
- 125% above state mean
Top 98% in Michigan - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
58.6%
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
$11,340
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
22
in-school suspensions + 39 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 38.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 72.6%
Two or More 15.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.4%
African American 3.8%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 72.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.4, Northwest Connect is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Northwest Community Schools, which includes Northwest Connect.
$11,340
Per student
-16%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.7%
State 65.0%
Federal 15.3%
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 Northwest Connect Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northwest Early Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northwest Kidder Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northwest Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northwest Connect's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 958
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 848
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 786
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 758
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
Similar other schools in Jackson
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
South Central Michigan Virtual
Standard public school
402 students 80.4:1 students per teacher
Jackson Preparatory Early College
Standard public school
260 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Jackson Isd Local Based Special Education Programs
Special-education school
240 students 4:1 students per teacher
Way East Jackson
Alternative education program
16 students
Similar other 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 (~157 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~39.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northwest Connect's federal record.
- Compare Northwest Connect against another school. Compare schools
- Northwest Community 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 Northwest Connect
How many students attend Northwest Connect?
Northwest Connect has 157 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Jackson, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwest Connect?
The student-teacher ratio at Northwest Connect is 39.3:1, which is 125% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 150% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northwest Connect?
65.6% of students at Northwest Connect are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northwest Connect?
The largest demographic group at Northwest Connect is White at 72.6% of enrollment, in Jackson, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northwest Connect?
Northwest Connect has a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (lower 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 Northwest Connect rank among schools in Jackson?
By Resource Investment Index, Northwest Connect ranks #5 of 5 schools in Jackson, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Jackson on the city page.
Is Northwest Connect a good school?
Northwest Connect earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% 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 Northwest Community Schools?
Besides Northwest Connect, Northwest Community Schools also operates Northwest High School (958 students), Northwest Early Elementary School (848 students), and Northwest Kidder Middle School (786 students). See the Northwest Community 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.