Enrollment
202
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Battle Creek, MI
Northwestern Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Northwestern Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 260000503839
👥 S:T ratio 60
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northwestern Middle School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% of Michigan schools.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Battle Creek · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.1:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 82.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Northwestern Middle School has class sizes smaller than 92% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northwestern Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Battle Creek, MI.
School address
District: Battle Creek Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260000503839 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.1:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-42% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northwestern Middle School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northwestern Middle School
Northwestern Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Battle Creek, Michigan, enrolling 202 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.1:1, Northwestern Middle School is leaner than roughly 92% of Michigan schools and 42% under the state's 17.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 82.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 202 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 289 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #57.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 202 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 91.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Battle Creek Public Schools spends $16,363 per pupil, 21% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 20.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Battle Creek's middle schools, it stands alongside West Michigan Virtual Battle Creek Ms (96 students): Northwestern Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.1:1 vs 48:1).
Battle Creek Public Schools also operates Battle Creek Central High School (978 students) and Springfield Middle School (472 students) alongside Northwestern Middle 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 Northwestern Middle School compares
Northwestern Middle 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 | 10.1:1 | ▼ 42% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.2% | ▲ 51% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 202 | top 75% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.1:1
Leaner classes than 88% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
202
Bigger than 20% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
82.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% 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
10.1:1
students per teacher
- 42% below state mean
Top 8% in Michigan - lower ratio than 92% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
91.6%
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
$16,363
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 202 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Battle Creek Public Schools, which includes Northwestern Middle School.
$16,363
Per student
+21%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.0%
State 48.6%
Federal 20.4%
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 Northwestern Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Creek Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Springfield Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valley View Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ann J Kellogg School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fremont International Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northwestern Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 978
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 472
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 434
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 348
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 345
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar middle schools in Battle Creek
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~202 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northwestern Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Northwestern Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Battle Creek 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 Northwestern Middle School
How many students attend Northwestern Middle School?
Northwestern Middle School has 202 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Battle Creek, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwestern Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northwestern Middle School is 10.1:1, which is 42% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 36% lower 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 Northwestern Middle School?
82.2% of students at Northwestern Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northwestern Middle School?
Northwestern Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Northwestern Middle School rank among middle schools in Battle Creek?
By Resource Investment Index, Northwestern Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Battle Creek, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Battle Creek on the city page.
Is Northwestern Middle School a good school?
Northwestern Middle School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% 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 Battle Creek Public Schools?
Besides Northwestern Middle School, Battle Creek Public Schools also operates Battle Creek Central High School (978 students), Springfield Middle School (472 students), and Valley View Elementary School (434 students). See the Battle Creek 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.