Enrollment
764
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Grand Rapids, MN
Robert J. Elkington Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Robert J. Elkington Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 271317000939
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 84
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Robert J. Elkington Middle School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Minnesota schools.
- #1 of 8
- public schools in Grand Rapids · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 19.1:1
- large classes for Minnesota
- 34.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Robert J. Elkington Middle School has class sizes larger than 80% of Minnesota schools. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Robert J. Elkington Middle School ranks #1 of 8 public schools in Grand Rapids, MN.
School address
District: Grand Rapids Public School District · Minnesota
NCES ID 271317000939 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.1:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.4%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
-20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Robert J. Elkington Middle School compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Robert J. Elkington Middle School
Robert J. Elkington Middle School is a large middle school in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, enrolling 764 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Minnesota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 34.4% lands close to the Minnesota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Minnesota, bigger than 90% of state schools at 764 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,334 scored Minnesota schools.
Among 320 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Minnesota schools statewide, it ranks #28, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 25/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 255 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.4% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Grand Rapids Public School District also operates Grand Rapids Senior High (1,091 students) and East Rapids Elementary (639 students) alongside Robert J. Elkington Middle School.
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 Robert J. Elkington Middle School compares
Robert J. Elkington Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.1:1 | ▲ 21% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.4% | ▼ 20% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 764 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.1:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
764
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% below the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.1:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 80% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
6.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$14,334
per pupil, district-wide
- below Minnesota avg of $15,270
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 255 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 75 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 86.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.8%
Two or More 5.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.6%
African American 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 86.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 25.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 25.4, Robert J. Elkington Middle School is less mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Grand Rapids Public School District, which includes Robert J. Elkington Middle School.
$14,334
Per student
-6%
vs Minnesota
Avg $15,270
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.8%
State 60.1%
Federal 11.1%
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 Robert J. Elkington Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Rapids Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Rapids Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cohasset Elementary | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bigfork Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Robert J. Elkington Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,091
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 639
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 612
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 312
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 139
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Minnesota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~764 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Robert J. Elkington Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Robert J. Elkington Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Grand Rapids Public School District'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 Robert J. Elkington Middle School
How many students attend Robert J. Elkington Middle School?
Robert J. Elkington Middle School has 764 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Grand Rapids, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Robert J. Elkington Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Robert J. Elkington Middle School is 19.1:1, which is 21% higher than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Robert J. Elkington Middle School?
34.4% of students at Robert J. Elkington Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Robert J. Elkington Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Robert J. Elkington Middle School is White at 86.0% of enrollment, in Grand Rapids, MN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Robert J. Elkington Middle School?
Robert J. Elkington Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Robert J. Elkington Middle School rank among public schools in Grand Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Robert J. Elkington Middle School ranks #1 of 8 public schools in Grand Rapids, MN. 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 Robert J. Elkington Middle School a good school?
Robert J. Elkington Middle School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Minnesota 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 Grand Rapids Public School District?
Besides Robert J. Elkington Middle School, Grand Rapids Public School District also operates Grand Rapids Senior High (1,091 students), East Rapids Elementary (639 students), and West Rapids Elementary (612 students). See the Grand Rapids Public School District 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.