Enrollment
286
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Grand Rapids, MI
River City Scholars Charter Academy
Federal NCES profile for River City Scholars Charter Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260103108338Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 59
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
River City Scholars Charter Academy earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 91% of Michigan schools.
- #9 of 24
- public schools in Grand Rapids · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 10.2:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 89.0%
- free-lunch eligible
River City Scholars Charter Academy has class sizes smaller than 91% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, River City Scholars Charter Academy ranks #9 of 24 public schools in Grand Rapids, MI.
School address
District: River City Scholars Charter Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260103108338 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.2:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-42% 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
What stands out at River City Scholars Charter Academy
River City Scholars Charter Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter elementary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 286 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.2:1, River City Scholars Charter Academy is leaner than roughly 91% of Michigan schools and 42% under the state's 17.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 89.0% of students qualify for free meals, 64% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 286 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 342 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #87.
Its student body is led by African American (73%) and Two or More (14%) (diversity index 44/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 82.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding River City Scholars Charter Academy spends $16,853 per pupil, 25% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 132 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 286 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
River City Scholars Charter Academy is a single-school charter district, so River City Scholars 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 River City Scholars Charter Academy compares
River City Scholars 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 | 10.2:1 | ▼ 42% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.0% | ▲ 64% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 286 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.2:1
Leaner classes than 88% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
286
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
89.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% 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
10.2:1
students per teacher
- 42% below state mean
Top 9% in Michigan - lower ratio than 91% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
82.9%
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
$16,853
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
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
- 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 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.
Student-body diversity index 43.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.8, River City Scholars Charter Academy is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for River City Scholars Charter Academy, which includes River City Scholars Charter Academy.
$16,853
Per student
+25%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
+2%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
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.
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 (~286 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on River City Scholars Charter Academy's federal record.
- Compare River City Scholars Charter Academy against another school. Compare schools
- River City Scholars 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 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 an 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 10.2:1, which is 42% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 35% lower 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 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% of enrollment, 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 30/100 (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 River City Scholars Charter Academy rank among public schools in Grand Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, River City Scholars Charter Academy ranks #9 of 24 public schools in Grand Rapids, 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 Grand Rapids on the city page.
Is River City Scholars Charter Academy a good school?
River City Scholars Charter Academy earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 91% of 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 River City Scholars Charter Academy?
None; River City Scholars Charter Academy is a single-school charter district, and River City Scholars 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.