Enrollment
37
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Niles, MI
Southside Special Educ School
Federal NCES profile for Southside Special Educ School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 262556006209
👥 S:T ratio 75
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 93
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southside Special Educ School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% of Michigan schools.
- #2 of 6
- schools in Niles · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 6.2:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 66.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Southside Special Educ School has class sizes smaller than 96% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southside Special Educ School ranks #2 of 6 schools in Niles, MI.
School address
District: Niles Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262556006209 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
6.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
6.2:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-65% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.7%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southside Special Educ School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southside Special Educ School
Southside Special Educ School is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Niles, Michigan, enrolling 37 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 6.2:1, Southside Special Educ School is leaner than roughly 96% of Michigan schools and 65% under the state's 17.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.7% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 94% of Michigan schools, with 37 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Against 85 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #19.
Its student body is led by White (78%) and African American (8%) (diversity index 37/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 37 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 56.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 14 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 37 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Niles's public schools, it stands alongside Merritt Elementary School (304 students): Southside Special Educ School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (6.2:1 vs 16:1).
Niles Community Schools also operates Niles Senior High School (828 students) and Howardellis Elementary School (529 students) alongside Southside Special Educ 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 Southside Special Educ School compares
Southside Special Educ 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 | 6.2:1 | ▼ 65% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.7% | ▲ 23% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 37 | top 94% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
6.2:1
Leaner classes than 98% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
37
Bigger than 4% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
6.2:1
students per teacher
- 65% below state mean
Top 4% in Michigan - lower ratio than 96% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
56.8%
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
$11,915
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 37 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 37.8 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 78.4%
African American 8.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.4%
Two or More 5.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.7%
Largest group: White at 78.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.2, Southside Special Educ School is about as mixed as the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Niles Community Schools, which includes Southside Special Educ School.
$11,915
Per student
-12%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.6%
State 69.2%
Federal 11.2%
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 Southside Special Educ School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niles Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Howardellis Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ballard Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ring Lardner Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastside Connections School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southside Special Educ School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 828
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 529
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 510
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 403
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Niles
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other 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 (~37 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~6.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southside Special Educ School's federal record.
- Compare Southside Special Educ School against another school. Compare schools
- Niles Community 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 Southside Special Educ School
How many students attend Southside Special Educ School?
Southside Special Educ School has 37 students enrolled. It is a special-education school in Niles, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southside Special Educ School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southside Special Educ School is 6.2:1, which is 65% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 61% lower 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 Southside Special Educ School?
66.7% of students at Southside Special Educ School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southside Special Educ School?
The largest demographic group at Southside Special Educ School is White at 78.4% of enrollment, in Niles, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southside Special Educ School?
Southside Special Educ School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (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 Southside Special Educ School rank among schools in Niles?
By Resource Investment Index, Southside Special Educ School ranks #2 of 6 schools in Niles, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Niles on the city page.
Is Southside Special Educ School a good school?
Southside Special Educ School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% 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 Niles Community Schools?
Besides Southside Special Educ School, Niles Community Schools also operates Niles Senior High School (828 students), Howardellis Elementary School (529 students), and Ballard Elementary School (516 students). See the Niles Community 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.