Enrollment
722
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · North Branch, MI
Ruth Fox Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Ruth Fox Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 16/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 262568006216
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ruth Fox Middle School earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Michigan schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in North Branch · Resource Index
- 16
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.6:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 45.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Ruth Fox Middle School has class sizes larger than 84% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ruth Fox Middle School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in North Branch, MI.
School address
District: North Branch Area Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262568006216 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.6:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.8%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ruth Fox Middle School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ruth Fox Middle School
Ruth Fox Middle School is a large elementary school in North Branch, Michigan, enrolling 722 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 45.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 722 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 421 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #366, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 722 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding North Branch Area Schools spends $9,977 per pupil, 26% below the Michigan average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
North Branch Area Schools also operates North Branch Elementary School (964 students) and North Branch High School (695 students) alongside Ruth Fox 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 Ruth Fox Middle School compares
Ruth Fox Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.6:1 | ▲ 18% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.8% | ▼ 16% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 722 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.6:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
722
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20.6:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 84% in Michigan - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
33.7%
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
$9,977
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 722 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
50
in-school suspensions + 87 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.0 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
White 91.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%
Two or More 2.6%
African American 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 91.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.8, Ruth Fox Middle School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for North Branch Area Schools, which includes Ruth Fox Middle School.
$9,977
Per student
-26%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.3%
State 71.8%
Federal 10.9%
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 Ruth Fox Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Branch Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Branch High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Quest High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ruth Fox Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 964
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 695
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 42
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
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 (~722 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ruth Fox Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Ruth Fox Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- North Branch Area 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 Ruth Fox Middle School
How many students attend Ruth Fox Middle School?
Ruth Fox Middle School has 722 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in North Branch, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ruth Fox Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ruth Fox Middle School is 20.6:1, which is 18% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ruth Fox Middle School?
45.8% of students at Ruth Fox Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ruth Fox Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Ruth Fox Middle School is White at 91.0% of enrollment, in North Branch, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ruth Fox Middle School?
Ruth Fox Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (lower 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 Ruth Fox Middle School rank among public schools in North Branch?
By Resource Investment Index, Ruth Fox Middle School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in North Branch, 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 North Branch on the city page.
Is Ruth Fox Middle School a good school?
Ruth Fox Middle School earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% 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 North Branch Area Schools?
Besides Ruth Fox Middle School, North Branch Area Schools also operates North Branch Elementary School (964 students), North Branch High School (695 students), and Quest High School (42 students). See the North Branch Area 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.