Enrollment
243
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Dearborn, MI
Nowlin Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Nowlin Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 261160004604
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Nowlin Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 80% of Michigan schools.
- #15 of 23
- schools in Dearborn · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.5:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 71.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Nowlin Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 80% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Nowlin Elementary School ranks #15 of 23 schools in Dearborn, MI.
School address
District: Dearborn City School District · Michigan
NCES ID 261160004604 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Nowlin Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Nowlin Elementary School
Nowlin Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Dearborn, Michigan, enrolling 243 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 71.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 243 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 374 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #209.
Its student body is predominantly White (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 29/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Dearborn City School District spends $16,677 per pupil, 23% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 21.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Dearborn City School District also operates Fordson High School (1,966 students) and Dearborn High School (1,775 students) alongside Nowlin 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 Nowlin Elementary School compares
Nowlin 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 | 13.5:1 | ▼ 23% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.1% | ▲ 31% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 243 | top 69% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
243
Bigger than 24% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 23% below state mean
Top 20% in Michigan - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
41.6%
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
$16,677
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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.
Student demographics
White 84.0%
African American 7.0%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%
Asian 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
Two or More 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 84.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.7, Nowlin Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dearborn City School District, which includes Nowlin Elementary School.
$16,677
Per student
+23%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.9%
State 52.7%
Federal 21.4%
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 Nowlin Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fordson High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dearborn High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edsel Ford High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bryant Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Woodworth Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Nowlin Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,966
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,775
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,502
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 781
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 699
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
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 (~243 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Nowlin Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Nowlin Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Dearborn City School District'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 Nowlin Elementary School
How many students attend Nowlin Elementary School?
Nowlin Elementary School has 243 students enrolled. It is a public school in Dearborn, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Nowlin Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Nowlin Elementary School is 13.5:1, which is 23% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 14% 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 Nowlin Elementary School?
71.1% of students at Nowlin Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Nowlin Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Nowlin Elementary School is White at 84.0% of enrollment, in Dearborn, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Nowlin Elementary School?
Nowlin Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 Nowlin Elementary School rank among schools in Dearborn?
By Resource Investment Index, Nowlin Elementary School ranks #15 of 23 schools in Dearborn, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Dearborn on the city page.
Is Nowlin Elementary School a good school?
Nowlin Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 80% 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 Dearborn City School District?
Besides Nowlin Elementary School, Dearborn City School District also operates Fordson High School (1,966 students), Dearborn High School (1,775 students), and Edsel Ford High School (1,502 students). See the Dearborn City School District 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.