Enrollment
309
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Saint Clair Shores, MI
South Lake Middle School
Federal NCES profile for South Lake Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 263222006749
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 38
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Lake Middle School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Saint Clair Shores · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.2:1
- students per teacher
- 60.9%
- free-lunch eligible
South Lake Middle School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Lake Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Saint Clair Shores, MI.
School address
District: South Lake Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 263222006749 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.9%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Lake Middle School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Lake Middle School
South Lake Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Saint Clair Shores, Michigan, enrolling 309 students.
At 17.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Michigan median, within a few percentage points of the 17.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 60.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 309 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 595 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #325.
Its student body is led by African American (63%) and White (22%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 309 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 77.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 96 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 309 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
South Lake Schools also operates South Lake High School (426 students) and Avalon Elementary School (345 students) alongside South Lake 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 South Lake Middle School compares
South Lake 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 | 17.2:1 | ▼ 2% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.9% | ▲ 12% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 309 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
309
Bigger than 34% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 55% in Michigan - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
77.7%
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
$14,348
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 309 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 95 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 31.1 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
African American 63.1%
White 21.7%
Two or More 10.0%
Hispanic or Latino 3.6%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 63.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.3, South Lake Middle School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Lake Schools, which includes South Lake Middle School.
$14,348
Per student
+6%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.4%
State 45.2%
Federal 15.4%
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 South Lake Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Lake High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Avalon Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Elmwood Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Lake Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 426
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 345
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 305
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar middle 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 (~309 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Lake Middle School's federal record.
- Compare South Lake Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- South Lake 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 South Lake Middle School
How many students attend South Lake Middle School?
South Lake Middle School has 309 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Saint Clair Shores, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Lake Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Lake Middle School is 17.2:1, which is 2% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 10% higher 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 South Lake Middle School?
60.9% of students at South Lake Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Lake Middle School?
The largest demographic group at South Lake Middle School is African American at 63.1% of enrollment, in Saint Clair Shores, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Lake Middle School?
South Lake Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 South Lake Middle School rank among middle schools in Saint Clair Shores?
By Resource Investment Index, South Lake Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Saint Clair Shores, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Saint Clair Shores on the city page.
Is South Lake Middle School a good school?
South Lake Middle School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. 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 South Lake Schools?
Besides South Lake Middle School, South Lake Schools also operates South Lake High School (426 students), Avalon Elementary School (345 students), and Elmwood Elementary School (305 students). See the South Lake 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.