Enrollment
245
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Traverse City, MI
Traverse Heights Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Traverse Heights Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 263387006950
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Traverse Heights Elem School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 79% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #16 of 16
- schools in Traverse City · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.6:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 72.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Traverse Heights Elem School has class sizes smaller than 79% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Traverse Heights Elem School ranks #16 of 16 schools in Traverse City, MI.
School address
District: Traverse City Area Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 263387006950 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.8%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Traverse Heights Elem School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Traverse Heights Elem School
Traverse Heights Elem School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Traverse City, Michigan, enrolling 245 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 72.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 245 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 363 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #203.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 59/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Traverse City's public schools, it stands alongside The Greenspire School (93 students): Traverse Heights Elem School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.6:1 vs 8.5:1).
Traverse City Area Public Schools also operates West Senior High (1,384 students) and Central High School (1,326 students) alongside Traverse Heights Elem 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 Traverse Heights Elem School compares
Traverse Heights Elem 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 | 13.6:1 | ▼ 22% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.8% | ▲ 34% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 245 | top 69% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
245
Bigger than 25% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
13.6:1
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
44.9%
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
$12,932
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
18
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.1 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 60.4%
Hispanic or Latino 14.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 13.1%
African American 9.0%
Asian 1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
Largest group: White at 60.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.8, Traverse Heights Elem School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Traverse City Area Public Schools, which includes Traverse Heights Elem School.
$12,932
Per student
-4%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.6%
State 40.7%
Federal 10.7%
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 Traverse Heights Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Grade School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Traverse Heights Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,384
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,326
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,081
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 829
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 510
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other schools in Traverse 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 (~245 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Traverse Heights Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Traverse Heights Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Traverse City Area 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 Traverse Heights Elem School
How many students attend Traverse Heights Elem School?
Traverse Heights Elem School has 245 students enrolled. It is a public school in Traverse City, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Traverse Heights Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Traverse Heights Elem School is 13.6:1, 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 Traverse Heights Elem School?
72.8% of students at Traverse Heights Elem School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Traverse Heights Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Traverse Heights Elem School is White at 60.4% of enrollment, in Traverse City, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Traverse Heights Elem School?
Traverse Heights Elem 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 Traverse Heights Elem School rank among schools in Traverse City?
By Resource Investment Index, Traverse Heights Elem School ranks #16 of 16 schools in Traverse City, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Traverse City on the city page.
Is Traverse Heights Elem School a good school?
Traverse Heights Elem School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 79% 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 Traverse City Area Public Schools?
Besides Traverse Heights Elem School, Traverse City Area Public Schools also operates West Senior High (1,384 students), Central High School (1,326 students), and West Middle School (1,081 students). See the Traverse City Area 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.