Enrollment
245
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ira, MI
Palms Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Palms Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 261242004942
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 9
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palms Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Ira · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.5:1
- students per teacher
- 32.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Palms Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palms Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Ira, MI.
School address
District: East China School District · Michigan
NCES ID 261242004942 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Palms Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Palms Elementary School
Palms Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Ira, Michigan, enrolling 245 students.
At 17.5:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 32.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 245 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 267 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #229, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (98% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 4/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
East China School District also operates St Clair High School (715 students) and St Clair Middle School (614 students) alongside Palms 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 Palms Elementary School compares
Palms 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 | 17.5:1 | ▼ 0% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.1% | ▼ 41% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 245 | top 69% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
245
Bigger than 25% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 57% in Michigan - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
36.3%
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
$12,232
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
0
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.9 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 98.0%
Two or More 1.6%
Hispanic or Latino 0.4%
Largest group: White at 98.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 3.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 3.9, Palms Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for East China School District, which includes Palms Elementary School.
$12,232
Per student
-9%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.7%
State 52.8%
Federal 7.5%
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 Palms Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Clair High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| St Clair Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Marine City High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gearing Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Belle River Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palms Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 715
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 614
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 437
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 343
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
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 (~245 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Palms Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Palms Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- East China 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 Palms Elementary School
How many students attend Palms Elementary School?
Palms Elementary School has 245 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ira, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palms Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Palms Elementary School is 17.5:1, which is 0% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Palms Elementary School?
32.1% of students at Palms Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palms Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Palms Elementary School is White at 98.0% of enrollment, in Ira, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palms Elementary School?
Palms Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Palms Elementary School rank among public schools in Ira?
By Resource Investment Index, Palms Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Ira, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Ira on the city page.
Is Palms Elementary School a good school?
Palms Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also less 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 East China School District?
Besides Palms Elementary School, East China School District also operates St Clair High School (715 students), St Clair Middle School (614 students), and Marine City High School (437 students). See the East China 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.