Enrollment
711
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Grand Rapids, MI
Walker Charter Academy
Federal NCES profile for Walker Charter Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260014900910Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Walker Charter Academy earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Michigan schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #20 of 24
- elementary schools in Grand Rapids · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.7:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 44.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Walker Charter Academy has class sizes larger than 70% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Walker Charter Academy ranks #20 of 24 elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Walker Charter Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260014900910 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.7:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.7%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Walker Charter Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Walker Charter Academy
Walker Charter Academy is a large charter elementary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, enrolling 711 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 44.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 711 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.
Against 439 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #288.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Grand Rapids's elementary schools, it stands alongside River City Scholars Charter Academy (286 students): Walker Charter Academy is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.7:1 vs 10.2:1).
Walker Charter Academy is a single-school charter district, so Walker Charter 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 Walker Charter Academy compares
Walker Charter 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 | 18.7:1 | ▲ 7% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.7% | ▼ 18% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 711 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.7:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
711
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.7:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 70% in Michigan - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
36.6%
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
$11,266
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
37
in-school suspensions + 48 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.0 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.
Student demographics
White 47.4%
Hispanic or Latino 23.8%
Two or More 12.4%
African American 8.0%
Asian 7.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: White at 47.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.1, Walker Charter Academy is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Walker Charter Academy, which includes Walker Charter Academy.
$11,266
Per student
-17%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 4.7%
State 81.5%
Federal 13.9%
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 elementary schools in Grand Rapids
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 (~711 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Walker Charter Academy's federal record.
- Compare Walker Charter Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Walker Charter 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 Walker Charter Academy
How many students attend Walker Charter Academy?
Walker Charter Academy has 711 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Walker Charter Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Walker Charter Academy is 18.7:1, which is 7% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 19% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Walker Charter Academy?
44.7% of students at Walker Charter Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Walker Charter Academy?
The largest demographic group at Walker Charter Academy is White at 47.4% of enrollment, in Grand Rapids, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Walker Charter Academy?
Walker Charter Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (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 Walker Charter Academy rank among elementary schools in Grand Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Walker Charter Academy ranks #20 of 24 elementary 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 elementary schools in Grand Rapids on the city page.
Is Walker Charter Academy a good school?
Walker Charter Academy earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Michigan schools. 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 Walker Charter Academy?
None; Walker Charter Academy is a single-school charter district, and Walker Charter 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.