Enrollment
433
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Shelby, MI
Thomas Read Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Thomas Read Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 16/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 263132006738
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Read Elementary School earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Michigan schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Shelby · Resource Index
- 16
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.6:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 78.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas Read Elementary School has class sizes larger than 84% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Read Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Shelby, MI.
School address
District: Shelby Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 263132006738 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.6:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.7%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Read Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Read Elementary School
Thomas Read Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Shelby, Michigan, enrolling 433 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 78.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 433 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 459 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #395, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (43%) (diversity index 55/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 50.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Shelby Public Schools also operates Shelby High School (346 students) and Shelby Middle School (264 students) alongside Thomas Read 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 Thomas Read Elementary School compares
Thomas Read 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 | 20.6:1 | ▲ 18% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.7% | ▲ 45% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 433 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.6:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
433
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% 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
20.6:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 84% in Michigan - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
50.8%
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
$15,896
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 51.0%
Hispanic or Latino 43.0%
Two or More 4.4%
African American 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 51.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.3, Thomas Read Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Shelby Public Schools, which includes Thomas Read Elementary School.
$15,896
Per student
+18%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.4%
State 47.3%
Federal 24.3%
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 Thomas Read Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shelby Middle School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| New Era Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas Read Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 346
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 264
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 160
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
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 (~433 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thomas Read Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Thomas Read Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Shelby 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 Thomas Read Elementary School
How many students attend Thomas Read Elementary School?
Thomas Read Elementary School has 433 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Shelby, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Read Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Read Elementary School is 20.6:1, which is 18% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thomas Read Elementary School?
78.7% of students at Thomas Read Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Read Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Read Elementary School is White at 51.0% of enrollment, in Shelby, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Read Elementary School?
Thomas Read Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (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 Thomas Read Elementary School rank among public schools in Shelby?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Read Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Shelby, 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 Shelby on the city page.
Is Thomas Read Elementary School a good school?
Thomas Read Elementary School earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% 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 Shelby Public Schools?
Besides Thomas Read Elementary School, Shelby Public Schools also operates Shelby High School (346 students), Shelby Middle School (264 students), and New Era Elementary School (160 students). See the Shelby 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.