Enrollment
95
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Niles, MI
Way Niles
Federal NCES profile for Way Niles, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 262556008282
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 81
📋 Attendance 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Way Niles earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data.
- #1 of 6
- schools in Niles · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 68.3%
- free-lunch eligible
- 95
- students enrolled
By Resource Investment Index, Way Niles ranks #1 of 6 schools in Niles, MI.
School address
District: Niles Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262556008282 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Free-lunch eligible
68.3%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+26% vs state
What stands out at Way Niles
Way Niles is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Niles, Michigan, enrolling 95 students.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 95 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 98% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 134 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (76%) and Two or More (12%) (diversity index 40/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 95 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
14.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Discipline events run high: 31 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 95 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Niles's public schools, it stands alongside Merritt Elementary School (304 students): Way Niles is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Niles Community Schools also operates Niles Senior High School (828 students) and Howardellis Elementary School (529 students) alongside Way Niles.
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 Niles compares
Way Niles on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.3% | ▲ 26% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 95 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
95
Bigger than 10% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Engagement
14.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,915
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 95 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 32.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
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 75.8%
Two or More 11.6%
African American 8.4%
Hispanic or Latino 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.1%
Largest group: White at 75.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.4, Way Niles is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Niles Community Schools, which includes Way Niles.
$11,915
Per student
-12%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.6%
State 69.2%
Federal 11.2%
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 Way Niles Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niles Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| Howardellis Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Ballard Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Ring Lardner Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Eastside Connections School | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Way Niles's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 828
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 529
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 510
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 403
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Niles
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 Niles's federal record.
- Compare Way Niles against another school. Compare schools
- Niles 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 Niles
How many students attend Way Niles?
Way Niles has 95 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Niles, MI.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Way Niles?
68.3% of students at Way Niles are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Way Niles?
The largest demographic group at Way Niles is White at 75.8% of enrollment, in Niles, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Way Niles?
Way Niles has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Way Niles rank among schools in Niles?
By Resource Investment Index, Way Niles ranks #1 of 6 schools in Niles, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Niles on the city page.
Is Way Niles a good school?
Way Niles earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. 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 Niles Community Schools?
Besides Way Niles, Niles Community Schools also operates Niles Senior High School (828 students), Howardellis Elementary School (529 students), and Ballard Elementary School (516 students). See the Niles 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.