Enrollment
758
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Jackson, MI
Northwest Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Northwest Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 16/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 262601006256
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northwest Elementary School earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #8 of 9
- elementary schools in Jackson · Resource Index
- 16
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.1:1
- students per teacher
- 49.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Northwest Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northwest Elementary School ranks #8 of 9 elementary schools in Jackson, MI.
School address
District: Northwest Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262601006256 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northwest Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northwest Elementary School
Northwest Elementary School is a large elementary school in Jackson, Michigan, enrolling 758 students.
At 16.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Michigan median, within a few percentage points of the 17.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 49.2% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Michigan, bigger than 90% of state schools at 758 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 360 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #305, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (77%) and Two or More (10%) (diversity index 39/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 758 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.6% 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.
Among Jackson's elementary schools, it stands alongside Francis Street Primary School (31 students): Northwest Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.1:1 vs 10.3:1).
Northwest Community Schools also operates Northwest High School (958 students) and Northwest Early Elementary School (848 students) alongside Northwest Elementary 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 Northwest Elementary School compares
Northwest Elementary 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 | 16.1:1 | ▼ 8% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.2% | ▼ 9% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 758 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
758
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% 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
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 43% in Michigan - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
47.6%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 758 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
52
in-school suspensions + 48 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.2 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 76.8%
Two or More 10.2%
Hispanic or Latino 7.4%
African American 4.6%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 76.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.2, Northwest Elementary School 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 Elementary School.
$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 Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwest Early Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwest Kidder Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northwest Connect | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northwest Elementary School'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
- 157
- Students per teacher
- 39.3:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
Similar elementary schools in Jackson
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 (~758 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northwest Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Northwest Elementary School 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 Elementary School
How many students attend Northwest Elementary School?
Northwest Elementary School has 758 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Jackson, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwest Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northwest Elementary School is 16.1:1, which is 8% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 3% 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 Northwest Elementary School?
49.2% of students at Northwest Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northwest Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Northwest Elementary School is White at 76.8% of enrollment, in Jackson, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northwest Elementary School?
Northwest Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (lower 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 Northwest Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Jackson?
By Resource Investment Index, Northwest Elementary School ranks #8 of 9 elementary 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 elementary schools in Jackson on the city page.
Is Northwest Elementary School a good school?
Northwest Elementary School earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. 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 Elementary School, 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.