Enrollment
506
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ann Arbor, MI
Thurston Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Thurston Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260282004027
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thurston Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #4 of 18
- elementary schools in Ann Arbor · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.9:1
- students per teacher
- 16.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Thurston Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thurston Elementary School ranks #4 of 18 elementary schools in Ann Arbor, MI.
School address
District: Ann Arbor Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260282004027 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
16.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-70% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thurston Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thurston Elementary School
Thurston Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Ann Arbor, Michigan, enrolling 506 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 16.2% free-meal eligibility runs 70% below the Michigan average.
Enrollment of 506 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 394 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #66.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and Asian (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
17.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Ann Arbor Public Schools spends $17,642 per pupil, 31% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Ann Arbor's elementary schools, it stands alongside Logan Elementary School (349 students): Thurston Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.9:1 vs 12.5:1).
Ann Arbor Public Schools also operates Huron High School (1,696 students) and Pioneer High School (1,671 students) alongside Thurston 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 Thurston Elementary School compares
Thurston 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 | 14.9:1 | ▼ 15% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 16.2% | ▼ 70% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 506 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
506
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
16.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 70% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 31% in Michigan - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$17,642
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 44.9%
Asian 28.5%
Two or More 10.1%
African American 9.1%
Hispanic or Latino 7.5%
Largest group: White at 44.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.3, Thurston Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ann Arbor Public Schools, which includes Thurston Elementary School.
$17,642
Per student
+31%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.1%
State 34.4%
Federal 9.5%
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 Thurston Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huron High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pioneer High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Skyline High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Slauson Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clague Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thurston Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,696
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,671
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,237
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 729
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 696
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar elementary schools in Ann Arbor
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~506 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thurston Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Thurston Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Ann Arbor 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 Thurston Elementary School
How many students attend Thurston Elementary School?
Thurston Elementary School has 506 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ann Arbor, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thurston Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thurston Elementary School is 14.9:1, which is 15% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 5% 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 Thurston Elementary School?
16.2% of students at Thurston Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thurston Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Thurston Elementary School is White at 44.9% of enrollment, in Ann Arbor, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thurston Elementary School?
Thurston Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical 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 Thurston Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Ann Arbor?
By Resource Investment Index, Thurston Elementary School ranks #4 of 18 elementary schools in Ann Arbor, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Ann Arbor on the city page.
Is Thurston Elementary School a good school?
Thurston Elementary School earns 42/100 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 Ann Arbor Public Schools?
Besides Thurston Elementary School, Ann Arbor Public Schools also operates Huron High School (1,696 students), Pioneer High School (1,671 students), and Skyline High School (1,237 students). See the Ann Arbor 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.