Enrollment
316
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ecorse, MI
Ralph J Bunche Academy
Federal NCES profile for Ralph J Bunche Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 19/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 261293004990
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ralph J Bunche Academy earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Ecorse · Resource Index
- 19
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.6:1
- students per teacher
- 89.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Ralph J Bunche Academy has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ralph J Bunche Academy ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Ecorse, MI.
School address
District: Ecorse Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261293004990 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.6:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
89.6%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ralph J Bunche Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ralph J Bunche Academy
Ralph J Bunche Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Ecorse, Michigan, enrolling 316 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 89.6% of students qualify for free meals, 65% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 316 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 368 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #279, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (78%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 38/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 81.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Ecorse Public Schools spends $19,738 per pupil, 46% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 31.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Ecorse Public Schools also operates Ecorse Community High School (340 students) and Grandport Elementary Academy (337 students) alongside Ralph J Bunche Academy.
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 Ralph J Bunche Academy compares
Ralph J Bunche 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 | 18.6:1 | ▲ 6% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.6% | ▲ 65% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 316 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
316
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
89.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% 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
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 69% in Michigan - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
81.6%
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
$19,738
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 + 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
African American 77.5%
Hispanic or Latino 13.9%
White 6.3%
Two or More 1.6%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: African American at 77.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.6, Ralph J Bunche Academy is about as mixed as the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ecorse Public Schools, which includes Ralph J Bunche Academy.
$19,738
Per student
+46%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
+19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.0%
State 49.9%
Federal 31.1%
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 Ralph J Bunche Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecorse Community High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grandport Elementary Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Brenda Hague Early Learning Village | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hope Academic Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Downriver Digital Academy | Smaller | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Ralph J Bunche Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 340
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 337
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 85
- Students per teacher
- 10.6:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 47
- Students per teacher
- 47:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 25
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 30/100
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 (~316 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ralph J Bunche Academy's federal record.
- Compare Ralph J Bunche Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Ecorse Public Schools'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 Ralph J Bunche Academy
How many students attend Ralph J Bunche Academy?
Ralph J Bunche Academy has 316 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ecorse, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ralph J Bunche Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Ralph J Bunche Academy is 18.6:1, which is 6% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ralph J Bunche Academy?
89.6% of students at Ralph J Bunche Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ralph J Bunche Academy?
The largest demographic group at Ralph J Bunche Academy is African American at 77.5% of enrollment, in Ecorse, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ralph J Bunche Academy?
Ralph J Bunche Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 19/100 (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 Ralph J Bunche Academy rank among public schools in Ecorse?
By Resource Investment Index, Ralph J Bunche Academy ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Ecorse, 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 Ecorse on the city page.
Is Ralph J Bunche Academy a good school?
Ralph J Bunche Academy earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. 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 Ecorse Public Schools?
Besides Ralph J Bunche Academy, Ecorse Public Schools also operates Ecorse Community High School (340 students), Grandport Elementary Academy (337 students), and Brenda Hague Early Learning Village (85 students). See the Ecorse Public Schools 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.