Enrollment
476
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Chelsea, MI
South Meadows Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Meadows Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260894004440
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Meadows Elementary School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Chelsea · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.9:1
- students per teacher
- 11.7%
- free-lunch eligible
South Meadows Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Meadows Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Chelsea, MI.
School address
District: Chelsea School District · Michigan
NCES ID 260894004440 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
11.7%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-78% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Meadows Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Meadows Elementary School
South Meadows Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Chelsea, Michigan, enrolling 476 students.
At 15.9:1, 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.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 11.7% free-meal eligibility runs 78% below the Michigan average.
Enrollment of 476 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 312 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #191.
Its student body is predominantly White (89% of enrollment) (diversity index 20/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Chelsea School District also operates Chelsea High School (750 students) and Beach Middle School (525 students) alongside South Meadows Elementary 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 Meadows Elementary School compares
South Meadows Elementary 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 | 15.9:1 | ▼ 9% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 11.7% | ▼ 78% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 476 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
476
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
11.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 78% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 41% in Michigan - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
26.5%
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
$14,718
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 89.3%
Two or More 5.0%
Hispanic or Latino 3.2%
African American 1.9%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: White at 89.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.9, South Meadows Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chelsea School District, which includes South Meadows Elementary School.
$14,718
Per student
+9%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.1%
State 48.3%
Federal 5.6%
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 Meadows Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Beach Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Creek Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Meadows Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 750
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 525
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 485
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- 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 (~476 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Meadows Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Meadows Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Chelsea 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 South Meadows Elementary School
How many students attend South Meadows Elementary School?
South Meadows Elementary School has 476 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Chelsea, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Meadows Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Meadows Elementary School is 15.9:1, which is 9% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 1% 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 Meadows Elementary School?
11.7% of students at South Meadows Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Meadows Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Meadows Elementary School is White at 89.3% of enrollment, in Chelsea, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Meadows Elementary School?
South Meadows Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Meadows Elementary School rank among public schools in Chelsea?
By Resource Investment Index, South Meadows Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Chelsea, 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 Chelsea on the city page.
Is South Meadows Elementary School a good school?
South Meadows Elementary School earns 33/100 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 Chelsea School District?
Besides South Meadows Elementary School, Chelsea School District also operates Chelsea High School (750 students), Beach Middle School (525 students), and North Creek Elementary School (485 students). See the Chelsea 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.