Other / mixed grade configuration · Jackson, MI

Paragon Charter Academy

Federal NCES profile for Paragon Charter Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.

2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260020401119Charter school
0/100100/10021/100
👥 S:T ratio
32
🌟 Gifted program
30
📋 Attendance
0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

Paragon Charter Academy earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.

#8 of 10
schools in Jackson · Resource Index
21
Resource Index · Lower
16.9:1
students per teacher
60.6%
free-lunch eligible

Paragon Charter Academy has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, Paragon Charter Academy ranks #8 of 10 schools in Jackson, MI.

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

-16 students YoY

Paragon Charter Academy held near 604 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-16 headcount).

Teacher FTE lost 37.4 → 35.9 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Steady CCD campus

-16 students YoY 260020401119 · Jackson, MI Other · MID · CHARTER

627 enr · 16.9:1 · 60.6% lunch · RII 21

Nearest enrollment peer: Clear Sky Elementary (627 students)

Paragon Charter Academy held near 604 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-16 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 37.4 → 35.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Michigan schools → · Find another →

How Paragon Charter Academy compares

Paragon Charter Academy held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Michigan and U.S. means.

Metric This school vs Michigan Michigan avg U.S. avg
Students per teacher 16.9:1 ▼ 3% 17.5:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 60.6% ▲ 12% 54.3% 51.7%
Enrollment 627 top 16% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
627
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.

Equity indicators methodology

Economic need
60.6%
free-lunch eligible - 12% 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
16.9:1
students per teacher - 3% below state mean
Top 52% in Michigan - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
47.2%
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
$11,687
per pupil, district-wide - below Michigan avg of $15,012
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
5
in-school suspensions + 60 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.

Student demographics

White 41.9%
African American 22.0%
Two or More 15.3%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%
Asian 8.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%

Largest group: White at 41.9% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 73.1/100

Simpson diversity index - at 73.1, Paragon Charter Academy is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.

Programs

District finance for Paragon Charter Academy reports $11,687 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

Similar other schools in Jackson

5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.

Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.

Frequently asked questions about Paragon Charter Academy

How many students attend Paragon Charter Academy?

Paragon Charter Academy has 627 students enrolled. It is a public school in Jackson, MI. CCD year-over-year: 620 (2022-23) → 604 (2023-24), nearly flat (-16).

What is the student-teacher ratio at Paragon Charter Academy?

The student-teacher ratio at Paragon Charter Academy is 16.9:1, which is 3% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 8% 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 Paragon Charter Academy?

60.6% of students at Paragon Charter Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Paragon Charter Academy?

The largest demographic group at Paragon Charter Academy is White at 41.9% of enrollment, in Jackson, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.1/100.

What is the Resource Investment Index for Paragon Charter Academy?

Paragon Charter Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).

How does Paragon Charter Academy rank among schools in Jackson?

By Resource Investment Index, Paragon Charter Academy ranks #8 of 10 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 schools in Jackson on the city page.

What other schools are in Paragon Charter Academy?

None; Paragon Charter Academy is a single-school charter district, and Paragon Charter Academy is its only campus.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.

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