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
0/100100/10030/100
👥 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.

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

-53 students YoY

River City Scholars Charter Academy shrank from 346 students in 2022-23 to 293 in 2023-24 (-15.3%).

Teacher FTE lost 28.1 → 27.1 across the same CCD years.

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

Shrinking CCD campus

-53 students YoY 260103108338 · Grand Rapids, MI Elementary · SMALL · CHARTER

286 enr · 10.2:1 · 89.0% lunch · RII 30

Nearest enrollment peer: Brindlee Mountain Elementary School (286 students)

River City Scholars Charter Academy shrank from 346 students in 2022-23 to 293 in 2023-24 (-15.3%). Teacher FTE lost 28.1 → 27.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Michigan schools → · Find another →

How River City Scholars Charter Academy compares

River City Scholars Charter Academy is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 methodology

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
$18,078
per pupil, district-wide - above Michigan avg of $15,012
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.

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

District finance for River City Scholars Charter Academy reports $18,078 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

Nationwide elementary 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 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. CCD year-over-year: 346 (2022-23) → 293 (2023-24), down 53.

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, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. 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.

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.

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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