Enrollment
306
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Southfield, MI
Vandenberg Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Vandenberg Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 263231006782
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vandenberg Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #2 of 8
- elementary schools in Southfield · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.3:1
- students per teacher
- 65.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Vandenberg Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vandenberg Elementary School ranks #2 of 8 elementary schools in Southfield, MI.
School address
District: Southfield Public School District · Michigan
NCES ID 263231006782 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.0%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vandenberg Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vandenberg Elementary School
Vandenberg Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Southfield, Michigan, enrolling 306 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 65.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 306 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 551 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #363.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Southfield Public School District spends $19,303 per pupil, 43% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Southfield's elementary schools, it stands alongside Crescent Academy Elementary (265 students): Vandenberg Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.3:1 vs 11:1).
Southfield Public School District also operates Southfield High School for the Arts and Technology (1,049 students) and Thompson K8 International Academy (544 students) alongside Vandenberg Elementary 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 Vandenberg Elementary School compares
Vandenberg Elementary 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 | 15.3:1 | ▼ 13% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.0% | ▲ 20% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 306 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.3:1
Leaner classes than 44% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
306
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
15.3:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 35% in Michigan - lower ratio than 65% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
44.8%
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
$19,303
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Southfield Public School District, which includes Vandenberg Elementary School.
$19,303
Per student
+43%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
+16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.6%
State 31.2%
Federal 10.2%
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 Vandenberg Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southfield High School for the Arts and Technology | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thompson K8 International Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Adlai Stevenson Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alice M Birney K8 School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Morris Adler Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vandenberg Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,049
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 544
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 527
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 452
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 355
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
Similar elementary schools in Southfield
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~306 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vandenberg Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Vandenberg Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Southfield Public School District'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 Vandenberg Elementary School
How many students attend Vandenberg Elementary School?
Vandenberg Elementary School has 306 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Southfield, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vandenberg Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Vandenberg Elementary School is 15.3:1, which is 13% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 3% 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 Vandenberg Elementary School?
65.0% of students at Vandenberg Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vandenberg Elementary School?
Vandenberg Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Vandenberg Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Southfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Vandenberg Elementary School ranks #2 of 8 elementary schools in Southfield, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Southfield on the city page.
Is Vandenberg Elementary School a good school?
Vandenberg Elementary School earns 23/100 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 Southfield Public School District?
Besides Vandenberg Elementary School, Southfield Public School District also operates Southfield High School for the Arts and Technology (1,049 students), Thompson K8 International Academy (544 students), and Adlai Stevenson Elementary School (527 students). See the Southfield Public School District 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.