Enrollment
179
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bessemer, MI
Washington School
Federal NCES profile for Washington School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260000603855
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 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
Washington School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 89% of Michigan schools.
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 11.2:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 71.1%
- free-lunch eligible
- 179
- students enrolled
Washington School has class sizes smaller than 89% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Bessemer Area School District · Michigan
NCES ID 260000603855 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.2:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-36% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Washington School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Washington School
Washington School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Bessemer, Michigan, enrolling 179 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.2:1, Washington School is leaner than roughly 89% of Michigan schools and 36% under the state's 17.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 71.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 179 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 258 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #210, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 23/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 716 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district, Bessemer Area School District, also runs Ad Johnston Jrsr High School (164 students).
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 Washington School compares
Washington 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 | 11.2:1 | ▼ 36% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.1% | ▲ 31% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 179 | top 78% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.2:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
179
Bigger than 17% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
11.2:1
students per teacher
- 36% below state mean
Top 11% in Michigan - lower ratio than 89% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
47.5%
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
$12,827
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
Counselors0.3 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.8 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 87.2%
Two or More 8.4%
Hispanic or Latino 2.2%
African American 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: White at 87.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.2, Washington School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bessemer Area School District, which includes Washington School.
$12,827
Per student
-5%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.7%
State 68.2%
Federal 12.1%
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 Washington School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ad Johnston Jrsr High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Washington School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 164
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
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 (~179 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Washington School's federal record.
- Compare Washington School against another school. Compare schools
- Bessemer Area 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 Washington School
How many students attend Washington School?
Washington School has 179 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bessemer, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Washington School?
The student-teacher ratio at Washington School is 11.2:1, which is 36% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 29% 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 Washington School?
71.1% of students at Washington School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Washington School?
The largest demographic group at Washington School is White at 87.2% of enrollment, in Bessemer, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Washington School?
Washington School has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (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).
Is Washington School a good school?
Washington School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 89% of 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 Bessemer Area School District?
Besides Washington School, Bessemer Area School District also operates Ad Johnston Jrsr High School (164 students). See the Bessemer Area 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.