Enrollment
695
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Detroit, MI
Universal Academy
Federal NCES profile for Universal Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260023701207Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Universal Academy earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Michigan schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #21 of 75
- schools in Detroit · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.3:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 97.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Universal Academy has class sizes larger than 75% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Universal Academy ranks #21 of 75 schools in Detroit, MI.
School address
District: Universal Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260023701207 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
97.9%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+80% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Universal Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Universal Academy
Universal Academy is a high-poverty, large charter combined-grade school in Detroit, Michigan, enrolling 695 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 97.9% of students qualify for free meals, 80% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 695 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 144 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #19.
Its student body is predominantly White (94% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 11/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 695 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Universal Academy spends $9,978 per pupil, 26% below the Michigan average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 26.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 269 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 695 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Detroit's public schools, it stands alongside Earhart Elementarymiddle School (1,002 students): Universal Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.3:1 vs 20.4:1).
Universal Academy is a single-school charter district, so Universal Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Universal Academy compares
Universal Academy on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.3:1 | ▲ 10% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 97.9% | ▲ 80% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 695 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.3:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
695
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
97.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 80% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.3:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 75% in Michigan - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$9,978
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 695 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
55
in-school suspensions + 214 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 38.7 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 94.1%
Hispanic or Latino 4.5%
African American 1.2%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 94.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 11.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 11.2, Universal Academy is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Universal Academy, which includes Universal Academy.
$9,978
Per student
-26%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.3%
State 71.1%
Federal 26.6%
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.
Similar other schools in Detroit
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Earhart Elementarymiddle School
Standard public school
1,002 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Munger Elementarymiddle School
Standard public school
954 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Mackenzie Elementarymiddle School
Standard public school
876 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
University Preparatory Art Design Middlehigh
Standard public school
855 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Davison Elementarymiddle School
Standard public school
765 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Hope of Detroit Academy Middlehigh
Standard public school
582 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
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 (~695 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Universal Academy's federal record.
- Compare Universal Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Universal Academy'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 Universal Academy
How many students attend Universal Academy?
Universal Academy has 695 students enrolled. It is a public school in Detroit, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Universal Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Universal Academy is 19.3:1, which is 10% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 23% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Universal Academy?
97.9% of students at Universal Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Universal Academy?
The largest demographic group at Universal Academy is White at 94.1% of enrollment, in Detroit, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Universal Academy?
Universal Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Universal Academy rank among schools in Detroit?
By Resource Investment Index, Universal Academy ranks #21 of 75 schools in Detroit, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Detroit on the city page.
Is Universal Academy a good school?
Universal Academy earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Michigan schools. It is also less 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 Universal Academy?
None; Universal Academy is a single-school charter district, and Universal Academy is its only campus.
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.