Enrollment
410
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Plainwell, MI
Starr Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Starr Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 262853006403
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 7
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Starr Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 79% of Michigan schools.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Plainwell · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.7:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 52.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Starr Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 79% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Starr Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 schools in Plainwell, MI.
School address
District: Plainwell Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262853006403 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.6%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Starr Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Starr Elementary School
Starr Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Plainwell, Michigan, enrolling 410 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 52.6% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 410 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 713 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #268.
Its student body is predominantly White (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 29/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Plainwell Community Schools also operates Plainwell High School (828 students) and Plainwell Middle School (569 students) alongside Starr 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 Starr Elementary School compares
Starr 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 | 13.7:1 | ▼ 22% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.6% | ▼ 3% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 410 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.7:1
Leaner classes than 60% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
410
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
13.7:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 21% in Michigan - lower ratio than 79% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
37.3%
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
$11,416
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 24 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.9 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 83.9%
Hispanic or Latino 8.5%
Two or More 5.1%
African American 1.7%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 83.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.6, Starr Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Plainwell Community Schools, which includes Starr Elementary School.
$11,416
Per student
-15%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.1%
State 62.4%
Federal 10.4%
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 Starr Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plainwell High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Plainwell Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gilkey Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cooper Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Renaissance High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Starr Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 828
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 569
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 439
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 288
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 86
- Students per teacher
- 43:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
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 (~410 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Starr Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Starr Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Plainwell 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 Starr Elementary School
How many students attend Starr Elementary School?
Starr Elementary School has 410 students enrolled. It is a public school in Plainwell, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Starr Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Starr Elementary School is 13.7:1, which is 22% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 13% 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 Starr Elementary School?
52.6% of students at Starr Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Starr Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Starr Elementary School is White at 83.9% of enrollment, in Plainwell, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Starr Elementary School?
Starr Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Starr Elementary School rank among schools in Plainwell?
By Resource Investment Index, Starr Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 schools in Plainwell, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Plainwell on the city page.
Is Starr Elementary School a good school?
Starr Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 79% 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 Plainwell Community Schools?
Besides Starr Elementary School, Plainwell Community Schools also operates Plainwell High School (828 students), Plainwell Middle School (569 students), and Gilkey Elementary School (439 students). See the Plainwell 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.