Enrollment
255
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Garden City, MI
Tipton Academy 48
Federal NCES profile for Tipton Academy 48, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260103608745Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Tipton Academy 48 earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Garden City · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.3:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 67.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Tipton Academy 48 has class sizes larger than 86% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Tipton Academy 48 ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Garden City, MI.
School address
District: Tipton Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260103608745 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
12.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Tipton Academy 48 compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Tipton Academy 48
Tipton Academy 48 is a higher-need, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Garden City, Michigan, enrolling 255 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.3:1 is larger than about 86% of Michigan schools and 22% above the 17.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 67.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 255 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 441 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #415, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (51%) and White (39%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 58/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 83.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 27.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Garden City's public schools, it stands alongside Tipton Academy Pk3 (301 students): Tipton Academy 48 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.3:1 vs 14.3:1).
Its district, Tipton Academy, also runs Tipton Academy Pk3 (301 students).
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 Tipton Academy 48 compares
Tipton Academy 48 on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.3:1 | ▲ 22% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.1% | ▲ 24% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 255 | top 67% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.3:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
255
Bigger than 26% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
21.3:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 86% in Michigan - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
83.1%
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
$13,013
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
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
African American 51.4%
White 38.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.3%
Two or More 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 51.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.1, Tipton Academy 48 is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tipton Academy, which includes Tipton Academy 48.
$13,013
Per student
-4%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 3.4%
State 68.7%
Federal 27.9%
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 Tipton Academy 48 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tipton Academy Pk3 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Tipton Academy 48's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 301
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar other schools in Garden City
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other 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 (~255 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Tipton Academy 48's federal record.
- Compare Tipton Academy 48 against another school. Compare schools
- Tipton Academy'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 Tipton Academy 48
How many students attend Tipton Academy 48?
Tipton Academy 48 has 255 students enrolled. It is a public school in Garden City, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Tipton Academy 48?
The student-teacher ratio at Tipton Academy 48 is 21.3:1, which is 22% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Tipton Academy 48?
67.1% of students at Tipton Academy 48 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Tipton Academy 48?
The largest demographic group at Tipton Academy 48 is African American at 51.4% of enrollment, in Garden City, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Tipton Academy 48?
Tipton Academy 48 has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (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 Tipton Academy 48 rank among public schools in Garden City?
By Resource Investment Index, Tipton Academy 48 ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Garden City, 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 Garden City on the city page.
Is Tipton Academy 48 a good school?
Tipton Academy 48 earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Michigan schools. 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 Tipton Academy?
Besides Tipton Academy 48, Tipton Academy also operates Tipton Academy Pk3 (301 students). See the Tipton Academy 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.