Enrollment
316
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Jackson, MI
Townsend Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Townsend Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 263465007041
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Townsend Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 79% of Michigan schools.
- #5 of 10
- schools in Jackson · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.7:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 68.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Townsend Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 79% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Townsend Elementary School ranks #5 of 10 schools in Jackson, MI.
School address
District: Vandercook Lake Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 263465007041 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.3%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Townsend Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Townsend Elementary School
Townsend Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Jackson, Michigan, enrolling 316 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 316 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 520 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #246.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and Two or More (14%) (diversity index 44/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 52.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Jackson's public schools, it stands alongside South Central Michigan Virtual (402 students): Townsend Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.7:1 vs 80.4:1).
Vandercook Lake Public Schools also operates Vandercook Lake High School (258 students) and Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy (55 students) alongside Townsend 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 Townsend Elementary School compares
Townsend 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 | 13.7:1 | ▼ 22% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.3% | ▲ 26% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 316 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.7:1
Leaner classes than 60% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
316
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
13.7:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 21% in Michigan - lower ratio than 79% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
52.2%
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
$13,587
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.8 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 73.1%
Two or More 13.9%
Hispanic or Latino 6.6%
African American 6.0%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 73.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.8, Townsend Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Vandercook Lake Public Schools, which includes Townsend Elementary School.
$13,587
Per student
+1%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.6%
State 65.4%
Federal 14.0%
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 Townsend Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vandercook Lake High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Townsend Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 258
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 55
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar other schools in Jackson
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
South Central Michigan Virtual
Standard public school
402 students 80.4:1 students per teacher
Jackson Preparatory Early College
Standard public school
260 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Jackson Isd Local Based Special Education Programs
Special-education school
240 students 4:1 students per teacher
Northwest Connect
Alternative education program
157 students 39.3:1 students per teacher
Way East Jackson
Alternative education program
16 students
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 (~316 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Townsend Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Townsend Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Vandercook Lake 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 Townsend Elementary School
How many students attend Townsend Elementary School?
Townsend Elementary School has 316 students enrolled. It is a public school in Jackson, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Townsend Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Townsend Elementary School is 13.7:1, which is 22% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 13% 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 Townsend Elementary School?
68.3% of students at Townsend Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Townsend Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Townsend Elementary School is White at 73.1% of enrollment, in Jackson, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Townsend Elementary School?
Townsend Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 Townsend Elementary School rank among schools in Jackson?
By Resource Investment Index, Townsend Elementary School ranks #5 of 10 schools in Jackson, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Jackson on the city page.
Is Townsend Elementary School a good school?
Townsend Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 79% 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 Vandercook Lake Public Schools?
Besides Townsend Elementary School, Vandercook Lake Public Schools also operates Vandercook Lake High School (258 students) and Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy (55 students). See the Vandercook Lake 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.