- Enrollment
- 1,964
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Howell, MI
Three Fires Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Three Fires Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 261872005552
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Three Fires Elementary earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #9 of 12
- public schools in Howell · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.9:1
- students per teacher
- 35.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Three Fires Elementary has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Three Fires Elementary ranks #9 of 12 public schools in Howell, MI.
School address
District: Howell Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261872005552 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+34 students YoY
Three Fires Elementary grew from 670 students in 2022-23 to 704 in 2023-24 (+5.1%).
Teacher FTE held 42.0 → 42.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+34 students YoY 261872005552 · Howell, MI Elementary · MID · TRAD
753 enr · 17.9:1 · 35.5% lunch · RII 22
Nearest enrollment peer: Howell High School (1,964 students)
Three Fires Elementary grew from 670 students in 2022-23 to 704 in 2023-24 (+5.1%). Teacher FTE held 42.0 → 42.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Michigan schools → · Find another →
Three Fires Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Howell High Sc
Howell High School
1,964 students
- Parker Middle
Parker Middle School
1,011 students
- Highlander Way
Highlander Way Middle School
789 students
- This school 753
Three Fires Elementary
753 students
- Southwest Elem 526
Southwest Elementary School
526 students
- Voyager Elemen 517
Voyager Elementary School
517 students
What this shows Three Fires Elementary reports 753 students on the CCD universe file.
How Three Fires Elementary compares
Three Fires Elementary is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.9:1 | ▲ 2% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.5% | ▼ 35% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 753 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
753
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
35.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 62% in Michigan - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
27.9%
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
$13,222
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $15,012
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 753 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 34 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 89.2%
Hispanic or Latino 5.6%
Two or More 4.4%
Asian 0.5%
African American 0.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 89.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.9, Three Fires Elementary is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
District finance for Howell Public Schools reports $13,222 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Three Fires Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howell High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parker Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Highlander Way Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southwest Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Voyager Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Three Fires Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,011
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 789
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 526
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 517
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~753 students)
Frequently asked questions about Three Fires Elementary
How many students attend Three Fires Elementary?
Three Fires Elementary has 753 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Howell, MI. CCD year-over-year: 670 (2022-23) → 704 (2023-24), up 34.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Three Fires Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Three Fires Elementary is 17.9:1, which is 2% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Three Fires Elementary?
35.5% of students at Three Fires Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Three Fires Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Three Fires Elementary is White at 89.2% of enrollment, in Howell, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Three Fires Elementary?
Three Fires Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Three Fires Elementary rank among public schools in Howell?
By Resource Investment Index, Three Fires Elementary ranks #9 of 12 public schools in Howell, 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 Howell on the city page.
What other schools are in Howell Public Schools?
Besides Three Fires Elementary, Howell Public Schools also operates Howell High School (1,964 students), Parker Middle School (1,011 students), and Highlander Way Middle School (789 students). See the Howell Public Schools district page for the complete list.