Enrollment
383
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Pontiac, MI
Owen Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Owen Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 262874006445
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Owen Elementary School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #4 of 5
- elementary schools in Pontiac · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.3:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 83.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Owen Elementary School has class sizes larger than 86% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Owen Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Pontiac, MI.
School address
District: Pontiac City School District · Michigan
NCES ID 262874006445 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
83.7%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Owen Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Owen Elementary School
Owen Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Pontiac, Michigan, enrolling 383 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.3:1 is larger than about 86% of Michigan schools and 22% above the 17.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 83.7% of students qualify for free meals, 54% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 383 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 446 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #391, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (41%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 60/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 76.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Pontiac City School District spends $18,379 per pupil, 36% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 28.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Pontiac's elementary schools, it stands alongside Whitman Elementary School (611 students): Owen Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.3:1 vs 13:1).
Pontiac City School District also operates Pontiac High School (992 students) and Pontiac Middle School (790 students) alongside Owen 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 Owen Elementary School compares
Owen 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 | 21.3:1 | ▲ 22% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 83.7% | ▲ 54% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 383 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.3:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
383
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
83.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.3:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 86% in Michigan - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
76.0%
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
$18,379
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 32 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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
African American 47.3%
Hispanic or Latino 41.0%
White 4.4%
Two or More 3.9%
Asian 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 47.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.4, Owen Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pontiac City School District, which includes Owen Elementary School.
$18,379
Per student
+36%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
+11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 55.2%
State 16.3%
Federal 28.5%
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 Owen Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pontiac High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pontiac Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Whitman Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Alcott School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Herrington School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Owen Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 992
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 611
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 334
- Students per teacher
- 37.1:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 319
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar elementary schools in Pontiac
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 (~383 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Owen Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Owen Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Pontiac 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 Owen Elementary School
How many students attend Owen Elementary School?
Owen Elementary School has 383 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Pontiac, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Owen Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Owen Elementary School is 21.3:1, which is 22% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Owen Elementary School?
83.7% of students at Owen Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Owen Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Owen Elementary School is African American at 47.3% of enrollment, in Pontiac, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Owen Elementary School?
Owen Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (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 Owen Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Pontiac?
By Resource Investment Index, Owen Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Pontiac, 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 Pontiac on the city page.
Is Owen Elementary School a good school?
Owen Elementary School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Pontiac City School District?
Besides Owen Elementary School, Pontiac City School District also operates Pontiac High School (992 students), Pontiac Middle School (790 students), and Whitman Elementary School (611 students). See the Pontiac 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.