Enrollment
541
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Grand Rapids, MI
Valleywood Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Valleywood Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 17/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 262034005720
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Valleywood Middle School earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #15 of 16
- middle schools in Grand Rapids · Resource Index
- 17
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.9:1
- students per teacher
- 78.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Valleywood Middle School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Valleywood Middle School ranks #15 of 16 middle schools in Grand Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Kentwood Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262034005720 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Valleywood Middle School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Valleywood Middle School
Valleywood Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 541 students.
At 15.9:1, 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 runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 78.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 541 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 396 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #296, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (36%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 541 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 217 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 541 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Grand Rapids's middle schools, it stands alongside Alger Middle School (314 students): Valleywood Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.9:1 vs 19.6:1).
Kentwood Public Schools also operates East Kentwood High School (2,068 students) and Pinewood Middle School (842 students) alongside Valleywood 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 Valleywood Middle School compares
Valleywood 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 | 15.9:1 | ▼ 9% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.2% | ▲ 44% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 541 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
541
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% 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
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 41% in Michigan - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
49.2%
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
$13,199
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 541 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
58
in-school suspensions + 159 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 40.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 35.7%
Hispanic or Latino 25.9%
White 17.0%
Asian 11.5%
Two or More 9.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: African American at 35.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.4, Valleywood Middle School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kentwood Public Schools, which includes Valleywood Middle School.
$13,199
Per student
-2%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.0%
State 50.9%
Federal 15.0%
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 Valleywood Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Kentwood High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pinewood Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Kentwood Freshman Campus | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Crestwood Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Discovery Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Valleywood Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,068
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 842
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 742
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 700
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 674
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar middle schools in Grand Rapids
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~541 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Valleywood Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Valleywood Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Kentwood 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 Valleywood Middle School
How many students attend Valleywood Middle School?
Valleywood Middle School has 541 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Valleywood Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Valleywood Middle School is 15.9:1, which is 9% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 1% 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 Valleywood Middle School?
78.2% of students at Valleywood Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Valleywood Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Valleywood Middle School is African American at 35.7% of enrollment, in Grand Rapids, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Valleywood Middle School?
Valleywood Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Valleywood Middle School rank among middle schools in Grand Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Valleywood Middle School ranks #15 of 16 middle 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 middle schools in Grand Rapids on the city page.
Is Valleywood Middle School a good school?
Valleywood Middle School earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. 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 Kentwood Public Schools?
Besides Valleywood Middle School, Kentwood Public Schools also operates East Kentwood High School (2,068 students), Pinewood Middle School (842 students), and East Kentwood Freshman Campus (742 students). See the Kentwood 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.