Enrollment
247
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Allegan, MI
West Ward Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for West Ward Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 260222003969
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Ward Elementary School earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Michigan schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Allegan · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 56.5%
- free-lunch eligible
West Ward Elementary School has class sizes larger than 73% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Ward Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Allegan, MI.
School address
District: Allegan Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260222003969 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.5%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Ward Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Ward Elementary School
West Ward Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Allegan, Michigan, enrolling 247 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 56.5% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 247 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 453 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #421, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 57.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Allegan Public Schools also operates Allegan High School (543 students) and Le White Middle School (427 students) alongside West Ward Elementary School.
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 West Ward Elementary School compares
West Ward Elementary 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 | 19:1 | ▲ 9% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.5% | ▲ 4% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 247 | top 69% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
247
Bigger than 25% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% 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
19:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 73% in Michigan - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
57.1%
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
$13,295
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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
4
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.1 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 84.2%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
Two or More 5.7%
African American 3.2%
Asian 1.2%
Largest group: White at 84.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.3, West Ward Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Allegan Public Schools, which includes West Ward Elementary School.
$13,295
Per student
-2%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.7%
State 57.7%
Federal 12.7%
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 West Ward Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allegan High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Le White Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pine Trails Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dawson Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Allegan Alternative High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Ward Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 543
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 427
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 326
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 278
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 112
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
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 (~247 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Ward Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare West Ward Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Allegan Public 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 West Ward Elementary School
How many students attend West Ward Elementary School?
West Ward Elementary School has 247 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Allegan, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Ward Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Ward Elementary School is 19:1, which is 9% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Ward Elementary School?
56.5% of students at West Ward Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Ward Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at West Ward Elementary School is White at 84.2% of enrollment, in Allegan, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Ward Elementary School?
West Ward Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (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 West Ward Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Allegan?
By Resource Investment Index, West Ward Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Allegan, 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 Allegan on the city page.
Is West Ward Elementary School a good school?
West Ward Elementary School earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% 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 Allegan Public Schools?
Besides West Ward Elementary School, Allegan Public Schools also operates Allegan High School (543 students), Le White Middle School (427 students), and Pine Trails Elementary School (326 students). See the Allegan Public 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.