Enrollment
50
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Grand Rapids, MI
Union High Transition
Federal NCES profile for Union High Transition, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 261644008894
👥 S:T ratio 78
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Union High Transition earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 96% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #6 of 22
- high schools in Grand Rapids · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 5.6:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 54.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Union High Transition has class sizes smaller than 96% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Union High Transition ranks #6 of 22 high schools in Grand Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Grand Rapids Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261644008894 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
9.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
5.6:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-68% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-0% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Union High Transition compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Union High Transition
Union High Transition is a higher-need, small high school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 50 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 5.6:1, Union High Transition is leaner than roughly 96% of Michigan schools and 68% under the state's 17.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 54.2% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 92% of Michigan schools, with 50 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 83 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #51.
Its student body is led by African American (40%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 66.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Grand Rapids Public Schools spends $16,601 per pupil, 23% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 21.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 11 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 50 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Grand Rapids's high schools, it stands alongside Grand River Preparatory High School (635 students): Union High Transition is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (5.6:1 vs 21.2:1).
Grand Rapids Public Schools also operates City Middlehigh (955 students) and Union High School (881 students) alongside Union High Transition.
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 Union High Transition compares
Union High Transition on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 5.6:1 | ▼ 68% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.2% | ▼ 0% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 50 | top 92% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
5.6:1
Leaner classes than 98% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
50
Bigger than 5% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 0% 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
5.6:1
students per teacher
- 68% below state mean
Top 4% in Michigan - lower ratio than 96% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
66.0%
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
$16,601
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 22.0 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 40.0%
Hispanic or Latino 26.0%
White 18.0%
Two or More 14.0%
Asian 2.0%
Largest group: African American at 40.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.0, Union High Transition is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Grand Rapids Public Schools, which includes Union High Transition.
$16,601
Per student
+23%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
+0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.7%
State 45.7%
Federal 21.6%
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 Union High Transition Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| City Middlehigh | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Union High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harrison Park Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southwest Elementary Academia Bilingue | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Union High Transition's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 955
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 881
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 708
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 494
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar high schools in Grand Rapids
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Grand River Preparatory High School
Standard public school
635 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
West Michigan Aviation Academy
Standard public school
600 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Innovation Central High
Standard public school
386 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Covenant House Academy Grand Rapids
Alternative education program
218 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Nextech High School
Standard public school
144 students 24:1 students per teacher
Kenowa Hills Pathways High School
Alternative education program
99 students 33:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~50 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Union High Transition's federal record.
- Compare Union High Transition against another school. Compare schools
- Grand Rapids 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 Union High Transition
How many students attend Union High Transition?
Union High Transition has 50 students enrolled. It is a high school in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Union High Transition?
The student-teacher ratio at Union High Transition is 5.6:1, which is 68% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 64% 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 Union High Transition?
54.2% of students at Union High Transition are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Union High Transition?
The largest demographic group at Union High Transition is African American at 40.0% of enrollment, in Grand Rapids, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Union High Transition?
Union High Transition has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Union High Transition rank among high schools in Grand Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Union High Transition ranks #6 of 22 high schools in Grand Rapids, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Grand Rapids on the city page.
Is Union High Transition a good school?
Union High Transition earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 96% 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 Grand Rapids Public Schools?
Besides Union High Transition, Grand Rapids Public Schools also operates City Middlehigh (955 students), Union High School (881 students), and Harrison Park Academy (708 students). See the Grand Rapids 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.