Enrollment
761
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Westland, MI
Universal Learning Academy
Federal NCES profile for Universal Learning Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260030007820Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Universal Learning Academy earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.3:1
- students per teacher
- 90.4%
- free-lunch eligible
- 761
- students enrolled
Universal Learning Academy has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Universal Learning Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260030007820 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
90.4%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+66% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Universal Learning Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Universal Learning Academy
Universal Learning Academy is a high-poverty, large charter combined-grade school in Westland, Michigan, enrolling 761 students.
At 17.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Michigan median, within a few percentage points of the 17.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 90.4% of students qualify for free meals, 66% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Michigan, bigger than 90% of state schools at 761 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 180 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #35.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 17/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Universal Learning Academy spends $10,279 per pupil, 24% below the Michigan average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 25.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Universal Learning Academy is a single-school charter district, so Universal Learning 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 Learning Academy compares
Universal Learning 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 | 17.3:1 | ▼ 1% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 90.4% | ▲ 66% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 761 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.3:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
761
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
90.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 66% 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
17.3:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 56% in Michigan - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
33.1%
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
$10,279
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
0
in-school suspensions + 145 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.1 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 90.9%
African American 6.4%
Two or More 1.7%
Hispanic or Latino 0.7%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 90.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.9, Universal Learning Academy is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Universal Learning Academy, which includes Universal Learning Academy.
$10,279
Per student
-24%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.9%
State 71.3%
Federal 25.9%
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 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 (~761 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Universal Learning Academy's federal record.
- Compare Universal Learning Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Universal Learning 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 Learning Academy
How many students attend Universal Learning Academy?
Universal Learning Academy has 761 students enrolled. It is a public school in Westland, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Universal Learning Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Universal Learning Academy is 17.3:1, which is 1% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 10% higher 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 Universal Learning Academy?
90.4% of students at Universal Learning Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Universal Learning Academy?
The largest demographic group at Universal Learning Academy is White at 90.9% of enrollment, in Westland, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Universal Learning Academy?
Universal Learning Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
Is Universal Learning Academy a good school?
Universal Learning Academy earns 26/100 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 Universal Learning Academy?
None; Universal Learning Academy is a single-school charter district, and Universal Learning 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.