Enrollment
286
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Elementary school (grades K-5) NCES 260103108338 Charter school
River City Scholars Charter Academy — Grand Rapids, MI
Federal NCES profile for River City Scholars Charter Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 27/100.
👥 Class size 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: River City Scholars Charter Academy · Michigan
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 18.2:1 Michigan avg
-32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
89.0%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How River City Scholars Charter Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
River City Scholars Charter Academy reports 286 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 28.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 12.4:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 32% below the Michigan state mean of 18.2:1, signalling more teacher attention per pupil than the state benchmark. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 22% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 89.0% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 64% above the Michigan average and 72% above the national baseline. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 82.9% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding River City Scholars Charter Academy spends $16,855 per pupil district-wide, above the Michigan average of $15,842 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 23.2% from local sources (property taxes), 59.6% from the state, and 17.3% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (F), calculated from 3 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How River City Scholars Charter Academy compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Michigan state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.4:1 | ▼ 32% | 18.2:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.0% | ▲ 64% | 54.3% | 51.8% |
| Enrollment | 286 | top 38% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
89.0%
free-lunch eligible
— 64% 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
12.4:1
students per teacher
— 32% below state mean
Top 12% in Michigan — lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Engagement
82.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Chronic absenteeism at or above 20% — the CDC threshold for "high" — signals significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$16,855
per pupil, district-wide
— above Michigan avg of $15,842
Below the U.S. average per-pupil spend — funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
25
in-school suspensions + 107 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 46.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Overview
Enrollment 286 Top 38% in Michigan — larger than 62% of 3,399 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 28.0
Students per teacher 12.4:1 -32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 89.0% +64% vs state
NCES ID 260103108338
Student demographics
African American 73.1%
Two or More 14.3%
Hispanic or Latino 7.3%
White 4.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Largest group: African American at 73.1% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 82.9%
In-school suspensions 25
Out-of-school suspensions 107
Expulsions 1
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for River City Scholars Charter Academy, which includes River City Scholars Charter Academy.
$16,855
Per student
+6%
vs Michigan
Avg $15,842
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 23.2%
State 59.6%
Federal 17.3%
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.
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about River City Scholars Charter Academy
How many students attend River City Scholars Charter Academy?
River City Scholars Charter Academy has 286 students enrolled. It is a elementary school in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at River City Scholars Charter Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at River City Scholars Charter Academy is 12.4:1, which is 32% lower than the Michigan average of 18.2:1 and 22% lower than the national average of 15.9:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at River City Scholars Charter Academy?
89.0% of students at River City Scholars Charter Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of River City Scholars Charter Academy?
The largest demographic group at River City Scholars Charter Academy is African American at 73.1%. The school serves a diverse student body in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for River City Scholars Charter Academy?
River City Scholars Charter Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (F) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.