Enrollment
298
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Kalamazoo, MI
Stem Academy
Federal NCES profile for Stem Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 261059008526
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Stem Academy earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Michigan schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Kalamazoo · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.9:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 34.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Stem Academy has class sizes larger than 79% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Stem Academy ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Kalamazoo, MI.
School address
District: Comstock Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261059008526 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.9:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.6%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Stem Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Stem Academy
Stem Academy is a mid-sized elementary school in Kalamazoo, Michigan, enrolling 298 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 298 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 448 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #159.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and Two or More (11%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 298 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Comstock Public Schools also operates Comstock Elementary School (597 students) and Comstock High School (358 students) alongside Stem Academy.
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 Stem Academy compares
Stem Academy on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.9:1 | ▲ 14% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.6% | ▼ 36% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 298 | top 60% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.9:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
298
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% 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
19.9:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 79% in Michigan - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
22.8%
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
$14,134
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 298 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
22
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.4 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 68.8%
Two or More 10.7%
African American 9.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%
Asian 4.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.7%
Largest group: White at 68.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.2, Stem Academy is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Comstock Public Schools, which includes Stem Academy.
$14,134
Per student
+5%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.5%
State 53.2%
Federal 8.3%
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 Stem Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comstock Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Comstock High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Comstock Compass High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Comstock Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Stem Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 597
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 358
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 309
- Students per teacher
- 34.3:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
- Enrollment
- 276
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
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 (~298 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Stem Academy's federal record.
- Compare Stem Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Comstock Public 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 Stem Academy
How many students attend Stem Academy?
Stem Academy has 298 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Kalamazoo, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Stem Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Stem Academy is 19.9:1, which is 14% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Stem Academy?
34.6% of students at Stem Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Stem Academy?
The largest demographic group at Stem Academy is White at 68.8% of enrollment, in Kalamazoo, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Stem Academy?
Stem Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical 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 Stem Academy rank among public schools in Kalamazoo?
By Resource Investment Index, Stem Academy ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Kalamazoo, 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 Kalamazoo on the city page.
Is Stem Academy a good school?
Stem Academy earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger 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 Comstock Public Schools?
Besides Stem Academy, Comstock Public Schools also operates Comstock Elementary School (597 students), Comstock High School (358 students), and Comstock Compass High School (309 students). See the Comstock Public 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.