- Enrollment
- 1,058
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Lowell, MI
Unity Alternative School
Federal NCES profile for Unity Alternative School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 262205005928
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Unity Alternative School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Michigan schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Michigan.
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 72.2%
- free-lunch eligible
- 19
- students enrolled
Unity Alternative School has class sizes larger than 73% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Lowell Area Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262205005928 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-3 students YoY
Unity Alternative School shrank from 18 students in 2022-23 to 15 in 2023-24 (-16.7%).
Teacher FTE held 1.0 → 1.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-3 students YoY 262205005928 · Lowell, MI High · SMALL · TRAD
19 enr · 19:1 · 72.2% lunch · RII 39
Nearest enrollment peer: Lowell Senior High School (1,058 students)
Unity Alternative School shrank from 18 students in 2022-23 to 15 in 2023-24 (-16.7%). Teacher FTE held 1.0 → 1.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Michigan schools → · Find another →
Unity Alternative School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Lowell Senior
Lowell Senior High School
1,058 students
- Lowell Middle
Lowell Middle School
790 students
- Cherry Creek E
Cherry Creek Elementary School
485 students
- Murray Lake El
Murray Lake Elementary
433 students
- Alto Elementar 417
Alto Elementary School
417 students
- This school 19
Unity Alternative School
19 students
What this shows Unity Alternative School reports 19 students on the CCD universe file.
How Unity Alternative School compares
Unity Alternative School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19:1 | ▲ 9% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.2% | ▲ 33% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 19 | top 97% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
19
Bigger than 3% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
72.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 33% 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
19:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 73% in Michigan - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$13,907
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $15,012
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.1 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 89.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%
Two or More 5.3%
Largest group: White at 89.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.3, Unity Alternative School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
AP program Not offered
District finance for Lowell Area Schools reports $13,907 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Unity Alternative School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lowell Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cherry Creek Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Murray Lake Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Alto Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Unity Alternative School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 485
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 433
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 417
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~19 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19:1)
Frequently asked questions about Unity Alternative School
How many students attend Unity Alternative School?
Unity Alternative School has 19 students enrolled. It is a high school in Lowell, MI. CCD year-over-year: 18 (2022-23) → 15 (2023-24), down 3.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Unity Alternative School?
The student-teacher ratio at Unity Alternative School is 19:1, which is 9% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Unity Alternative School?
72.2% of students at Unity Alternative School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Unity Alternative School?
The largest demographic group at Unity Alternative School is White at 89.5% of enrollment, in Lowell, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Unity Alternative School?
Unity Alternative School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Lowell Area Schools?
Besides Unity Alternative School, Lowell Area Schools also operates Lowell Senior High School (1,058 students), Lowell Middle School (790 students), and Cherry Creek Elementary School (485 students). See the Lowell Area Schools district page for the complete list.