Enrollment
381
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Howard City, MI
Tri County Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Tri County Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 263393006958
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Tri County Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Howard City · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.1:1
- students per teacher
- 50.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Tri County Middle School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Tri County Middle School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Howard City, MI.
School address
District: Tri County Area Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 263393006958 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.0%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Tri County Middle School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Tri County Middle School
Tri County Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Howard City, Michigan, enrolling 381 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 50.0% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 381 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 735 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #107.
Its student body is predominantly White (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 25/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Discipline events run high: 170 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 381 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Tri County Area Schools also operates Sand Lake Elementary School (780 students) and Tri County Senior High School (473 students) alongside Tri County Middle 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 Tri County Middle School compares
Tri County Middle 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 | 18.1:1 | ▲ 3% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.0% | ▼ 8% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 381 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
381
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 64% in Michigan - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
22.3%
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
$12,858
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
126
in-school suspensions + 44 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 33.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 44.6 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 86.1%
Hispanic or Latino 7.1%
Two or More 5.2%
Asian 1.0%
African American 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 86.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 25.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 25.1, Tri County Middle School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tri County Area Schools, which includes Tri County Middle School.
$12,858
Per student
-5%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.6%
State 62.9%
Federal 14.6%
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 Tri County Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sand Lake Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tri County Senior High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Macnaughton School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Tri County Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 780
- Students per teacher
- 33.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 473
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 388
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar middle 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 (~381 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Tri County Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Tri County Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Tri County Area 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 Tri County Middle School
How many students attend Tri County Middle School?
Tri County Middle School has 381 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Howard City, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Tri County Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Tri County Middle School is 18.1:1, which is 3% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Tri County Middle School?
50.0% of students at Tri County Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Tri County Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Tri County Middle School is White at 86.1% of enrollment, in Howard City, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Tri County Middle School?
Tri County Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Tri County Middle School rank among public schools in Howard City?
By Resource Investment Index, Tri County Middle School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Howard 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 Howard City on the city page.
Is Tri County Middle School a good school?
Tri County Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. 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 Tri County Area Schools?
Besides Tri County Middle School, Tri County Area Schools also operates Sand Lake Elementary School (780 students), Tri County Senior High School (473 students), and Macnaughton School (388 students). See the Tri County Area 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.