Enrollment
394
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Berrien Springs, MI
Sylvester Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Sylvester Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260543004201
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 61
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sylvester Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Berrien Springs · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 66.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Sylvester Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sylvester Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Berrien Springs, MI.
School address
District: Berrien Springs Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260543004201 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.4%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sylvester Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sylvester Elementary School
Sylvester Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Berrien Springs, Michigan, enrolling 394 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 394 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 585 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #13, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and African American (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 197 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Berrien Springs Public Schools also operates Link Learning Virtual Program (2,526 students) and Berrien Springs High School (554 students) alongside Sylvester 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 Sylvester Elementary School compares
Sylvester 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 | 15.2:1 | ▼ 13% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.4% | ▲ 22% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 394 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
394
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% 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
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 34% in Michigan - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,580
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 197 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 32 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 42.1%
African American 31.0%
Hispanic or Latino 14.5%
Two or More 7.6%
Asian 3.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 42.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.9, Sylvester Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Berrien Springs Public Schools, which includes Sylvester Elementary School.
$13,580
Per student
+1%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.6%
State 59.6%
Federal 7.8%
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 Sylvester Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link Learning Virtual Program | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Berrien Springs High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Berrien Springs Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Michigan Virtual Battle Creek Hs | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mars Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sylvester Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,526
- Students per teacher
- -
- Enrollment
- 554
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 370
- Students per teacher
- 61.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 338
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
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 (~394 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sylvester Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Sylvester Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Berrien Springs 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 Sylvester Elementary School
How many students attend Sylvester Elementary School?
Sylvester Elementary School has 394 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Berrien Springs, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sylvester Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sylvester Elementary School is 15.2:1, which is 13% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 3% 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 Sylvester Elementary School?
66.4% of students at Sylvester Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sylvester Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Sylvester Elementary School is White at 42.1% of enrollment, in Berrien Springs, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sylvester Elementary School?
Sylvester Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Sylvester Elementary School rank among public schools in Berrien Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Sylvester Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Berrien Springs, 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 Berrien Springs on the city page.
Is Sylvester Elementary School a good school?
Sylvester Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Berrien Springs Public Schools?
Besides Sylvester Elementary School, Berrien Springs Public Schools also operates Link Learning Virtual Program (2,526 students), Berrien Springs High School (554 students), and Berrien Springs Middle School (424 students). See the Berrien Springs 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.