Enrollment
16
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Jackson, MI
Way East Jackson
Federal NCES profile for Way East Jackson, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 261254008667
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Way East Jackson earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. It is also one of the smallest schools in Michigan.
- #2 of 5
- schools in Jackson · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 85.4%
- free-lunch eligible
- 16
- students enrolled
By Resource Investment Index, Way East Jackson ranks #2 of 5 schools in Jackson, MI.
School address
District: East Jackson Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261254008667 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Free-lunch eligible
85.4%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+57% vs state
What stands out at Way East Jackson
Way East Jackson is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Jackson, Michigan, enrolling 16 students.
Economic need is high: 85.4% of students qualify for free meals, 57% above the Michigan average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 97% of Michigan schools, with 16 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 29 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #21.
Its student body is predominantly White (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 33/100).
Among Jackson's public schools, it stands alongside South Central Michigan Virtual (402 students): Way East Jackson is smaller than that campus by headcount.
East Jackson Community Schools also operates East Jackson Secondary School (359 students) and East Jackson Elementary (348 students) alongside Way East Jackson.
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 Way East Jackson compares
Way East Jackson on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free-lunch eligible | 85.4% | ▲ 57% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 16 | top 97% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16
Bigger than 2% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
85.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Funding equity
$14,250
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Somewhat 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 + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.5 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 81.3%
African American 6.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.3%
Two or More 6.3%
Largest group: White at 81.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.7, Way East Jackson is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for East Jackson Community Schools, which includes Way East Jackson.
$14,250
Per student
+6%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.0%
State 51.7%
Federal 13.3%
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 Way East Jackson Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Jackson Secondary School | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| East Jackson Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Way East Jackson's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 359
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 348
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Jackson
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
South Central Michigan Virtual
Standard public school
402 students 80.4:1 students per teacher
Jackson Preparatory Early College
Standard public school
260 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Jackson Isd Local Based Special Education Programs
Special-education school
240 students 4:1 students per teacher
Northwest Connect
Alternative education program
157 students 39.3:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Way East Jackson's federal record.
- Compare Way East Jackson against another school. Compare schools
- East Jackson Community 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 Way East Jackson
How many students attend Way East Jackson?
Way East Jackson has 16 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Jackson, MI.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Way East Jackson?
85.4% of students at Way East Jackson are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Way East Jackson?
The largest demographic group at Way East Jackson is White at 81.3% of enrollment, in Jackson, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Way East Jackson?
Way East Jackson has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Way East Jackson rank among schools in Jackson?
By Resource Investment Index, Way East Jackson ranks #2 of 5 schools in Jackson, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Jackson on the city page.
Is Way East Jackson a good school?
Way East Jackson earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. It is also one of the smallest schools in Michigan. 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 East Jackson Community Schools?
Besides Way East Jackson, East Jackson Community Schools also operates East Jackson Secondary School (359 students) and East Jackson Elementary (348 students). See the East Jackson Community 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.