- Enrollment
- 504
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Saginaw, MI
Shields Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Shields Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 263341000263
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 11
📋 Attendance 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Shields Elementary School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #13 of 27
- schools in Saginaw · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.6:1
- students per teacher
- 37.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Shields Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Shields Elementary School ranks #13 of 27 schools in Saginaw, MI.
School address
District: Swan Valley School District · Michigan
NCES ID 263341000263 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+2 students YoY
Shields Elementary School held near 437 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+2 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 24.0 → 24.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+2 students YoY 263341000263 · Saginaw, MI Other · SMALL · TRAD
447 enr · 18.6:1 · 37.7% lunch · RII 28
Nearest enrollment peer: Swan Valley High School (504 students)
Shields Elementary School held near 437 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+2 headcount). Teacher FTE added 24.0 → 24.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Michigan schools → · Find another →
Shields Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Swan Valley Hi
Swan Valley High School
504 students
- This school
Shields Elementary School
447 students
- Swan Valley Mi
Swan Valley Middle School
408 students
- Robert B Haven
Robert B Havens Elem School
390 students
- Swan Valley Ad 29
Swan Valley Adult and Alternative Education
29 students
What this shows Shields Elementary School reports 447 students on the CCD universe file.
How Shields Elementary School compares
Shields Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.6:1 | ▲ 6% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.7% | ▼ 31% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 447 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
447
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
37.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 69% in Michigan - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
22.4%
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
$11,828
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $15,012
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 447 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 77.4%
Hispanic or Latino 15.7%
Two or More 4.9%
African American 2.0%
Largest group: White at 77.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.3, Shields Elementary School is about as mixed as the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
District finance for Swan Valley School District reports $11,828 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Shields Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swan Valley High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Swan Valley Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Robert B Havens Elem School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Swan Valley Adult and Alternative Education | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Shields Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 408
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 390
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 29
- Students per teacher
- 29:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Saginaw
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nationwide other 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.
Similar enrollment (~447 students)
Frequently asked questions about Shields Elementary School
How many students attend Shields Elementary School?
Shields Elementary School has 447 students enrolled. It is a public school in Saginaw, MI. CCD year-over-year: 435 (2022-23) → 437 (2023-24), nearly flat (+2).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Shields Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Shields Elementary School is 18.6:1, which is 6% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Shields Elementary School?
37.7% of students at Shields Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Shields Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Shields Elementary School is White at 77.4% of enrollment, in Saginaw, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Shields Elementary School?
Shields Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Shields Elementary School rank among schools in Saginaw?
By Resource Investment Index, Shields Elementary School ranks #13 of 27 schools in Saginaw, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Saginaw on the city page.
What other schools are in Swan Valley School District?
Besides Shields Elementary School, Swan Valley School District also operates Swan Valley High School (504 students), Swan Valley Middle School (408 students), and Robert B Havens Elem School (390 students). See the Swan Valley School District district page for the complete list.