Enrollment
135
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 260102308403 Charter school
Way Academy Vernor Site — Detroit, MI
Federal NCES profile for Way Academy Vernor Site, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 10/100.
👥 Class size 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
The verdict
Way Academy Vernor Site earns an F Resource Investment Index (10/100), with class sizes larger than 100% of Michigan schools.
- F
- Resource Index · 10/100
- 105:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 97.1%
- free-lunch eligible
- 135
- students enrolled
School address
District: W-a-Y Academy · Michigan
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
1.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
105:1
vs 18.2:1 Michigan avg
+477% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
97.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+79% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Way Academy Vernor Site compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
Way Academy Vernor Site reports 135 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 1.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 105:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 477% above the Michigan state mean of 18.2:1, signalling larger average class loads than peers in the same state. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.7:1, it is 569% higher, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 97.1% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 79% above the Michigan average and 87% above the national baseline. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 83.0% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding W-a-Y Academy spends $15,484 per pupil district-wide, above the Michigan average of $13,507 and below the national average of $16,593. Revenue comes 1.1% from local sources (property taxes), 69.7% from the state, and 29.2% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (F), calculated from 3 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Way Academy Vernor Site compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Michigan state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 105:1 | ▲ 477% | 18.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 97.1% | ▲ 79% | 54.3% | 51.8% |
| Enrollment | 135 | top 17% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
Class size vs. every US school
Students per teacher (lower means more individual attention)
105 smaller classes than 0% of 92,598 US schools
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US schools. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25
School size vs. every US school
Total enrollment — where this school sits by size (neither large nor small is 'better')
135 larger than 13% of 95,891 US schools
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US schools. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
97.1%
free-lunch eligible
— 79% 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
105:1
students per teacher
— 477% above state mean
Top 100% in Michigan — lower ratio than 0% of state schools
Above 20:1 — larger class loads than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is stretched relative to enrollment.
Engagement
83.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Chronic absenteeism at or above 20% — the CDC threshold for "high" — signals significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,484
per pupil, district-wide
— above Michigan avg of $13,507
Below the U.S. average per-pupil spend — funding constraints 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 + 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
Enrollment 135 Top 17% in Michigan — larger than 83% of 3,399 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 1.0
Students per teacher 105:1 +477% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 97.1% +79% vs state
NCES ID 260102308403
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 92.6%
White 5.9%
African American 1.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 92.6% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 83.0%
In-school suspensions 0
Out-of-school suspensions 0
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for W-a-Y Academy, which includes Way Academy Vernor Site.
$15,484
Per student
+15%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 1.1%
State 69.7%
Federal 29.2%
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.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 76
- Students per teacher
- —
Similar other schools in Detroit
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Earhart Elementarymiddle School
Standard public school
1,002 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Munger Elementarymiddle School
Standard public school
954 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
Mackenzie Elementarymiddle School
Standard public school
876 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
University Preparatory Art Design Middlehigh
Standard public school
855 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Davison Elementarymiddle School
Standard public school
765 students 18:1 students per teacher
Hope of Detroit Academy Middlehigh
Standard public school
582 students 19:1 students per teacher
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Before you act on this record
Treat this page as the federal baseline — then verify locally.
- Compare Way Academy Vernor Site side-by-side with another school you're considering on the same NCES measures. Compare schools
- Read the district context — spending per pupil, staffing, and equity ranking are district-level decisions that shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment windows, programs, and boundaries with the school directly — federal data lags the current school year. Choosing guide
Figures are the school's reported federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) — coverage varies by entity type, and PlainSchools does not rate or rank schools.
Frequently asked questions about Way Academy Vernor Site
How many students attend Way Academy Vernor Site?
Way Academy Vernor Site has 135 students enrolled. It is a other school in Detroit, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Way Academy Vernor Site?
The student-teacher ratio at Way Academy Vernor Site is 105:1, which is 477% higher than the Michigan average of 18.2:1 and 569% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Way Academy Vernor Site?
97.1% of students at Way Academy Vernor Site are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Way Academy Vernor Site?
The largest demographic group at Way Academy Vernor Site is Hispanic or Latino at 92.6%. The school serves a student body in Detroit, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Way Academy Vernor Site?
Way Academy Vernor Site has a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (F) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.
Is Way Academy Vernor Site a good school?
Way Academy Vernor Site earns an F Resource Investment Index (10/100), with class sizes larger than 100% of Michigan schools. The Resource Investment Index reflects staffing, counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance reported to NCES, not test scores or academic outcomes, so treat it as a resource snapshot rather than an overall rating.