Enrollment
627
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
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
👥 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.
School address
District: Paragon Charter Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260020401119 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.6%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Paragon Charter Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Paragon Charter Academy
Paragon Charter Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Jackson, Michigan, enrolling 627 students.
At 16.9:1, 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 above the state's typical profile, with 60.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 627 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 428 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #264.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and African American (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Jackson's public schools, it stands alongside South Central Michigan Virtual (402 students): Paragon Charter Academy is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.9:1 vs 80.4:1).
Paragon Charter Academy is a single-school charter district, so Paragon Charter Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Paragon Charter Academy compares
Paragon Charter Academy on the metrics families compare, against 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 (what these measure)
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
$11,492
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
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.
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 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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Paragon Charter Academy, which includes Paragon Charter Academy.
$11,492
Per student
-15%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.2%
State 80.0%
Federal 17.8%
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.
Similar other schools in Jackson
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
South Central Michigan Virtual
Standard public school
402 students 80.4:1 students per teacher
Jackson Preparatory Early College
Standard public school
260 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Jackson Isd Local Based Special Education Programs
Special-education school
240 students 4:1 students per teacher
Northwest Connect
Alternative education program
157 students 39.3:1 students per teacher
Way East Jackson
Alternative education program
16 students
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 (~627 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Paragon Charter Academy's federal record.
- Compare Paragon Charter Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Paragon Charter Academy'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 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.
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, attendance rates. 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.
Is Paragon Charter Academy a good school?
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. 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 Paragon Charter Academy?
None; Paragon Charter Academy is a single-school charter district, and Paragon Charter Academy is its only campus.
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.