Enrollment
276
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hillsdale, MI
Will Carleton Charter School Academy
Federal NCES profile for Will Carleton Charter School Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260018201057Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 39
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Will Carleton Charter School Academy earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Michigan schools.
- #2 of 5
- public schools in Hillsdale · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.1:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 32.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Will Carleton Charter School Academy has class sizes smaller than 83% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Will Carleton Charter School Academy ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Hillsdale, MI.
School address
District: Will Carleton Charter School Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260018201057 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Will Carleton Charter School Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Will Carleton Charter School Academy
Will Carleton Charter School Academy is a mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Hillsdale, Michigan, enrolling 276 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 32.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 276 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 351 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #62.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 17/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Will Carleton Charter School Academy spends $10,180 per pupil, 25% below the Michigan average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hillsdale's public schools, it stands alongside Bailey Early Childhood Center (34 students): Will Carleton Charter School Academy is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.1:1 vs 6.8:1).
Will Carleton Charter School Academy is a single-school charter district, so Will Carleton Charter School Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Will Carleton Charter School Academy compares
Will Carleton Charter School Academy on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.1:1 | ▼ 25% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.1% | ▼ 41% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 276 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 66% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
276
Bigger than 29% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 25% below state mean
Top 17% in Michigan - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.3%
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
$10,180
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
Counselors0.0 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
- 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 90.9%
Hispanic or Latino 3.6%
Two or More 3.3%
African American 1.4%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 90.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.1, Will Carleton Charter School Academy is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Will Carleton Charter School Academy, which includes Will Carleton Charter School Academy.
$10,180
Per student
-25%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-39%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.7%
State 81.5%
Federal 15.8%
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.
Similar other schools in Hillsdale
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.
Similar enrollment (~276 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Will Carleton Charter School Academy's federal record.
- Compare Will Carleton Charter School Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Will Carleton Charter School Academy'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 Will Carleton Charter School Academy
How many students attend Will Carleton Charter School Academy?
Will Carleton Charter School Academy has 276 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hillsdale, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Will Carleton Charter School Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Will Carleton Charter School Academy is 13.1:1, which is 25% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 17% 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 Will Carleton Charter School Academy?
32.1% of students at Will Carleton Charter School Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Will Carleton Charter School Academy?
The largest demographic group at Will Carleton Charter School Academy is White at 90.9% of enrollment, in Hillsdale, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Will Carleton Charter School Academy?
Will Carleton Charter School Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Will Carleton Charter School Academy rank among public schools in Hillsdale?
By Resource Investment Index, Will Carleton Charter School Academy ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Hillsdale, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Hillsdale on the city page.
Is Will Carleton Charter School Academy a good school?
Will Carleton Charter School Academy earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% 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 Will Carleton Charter School Academy?
None; Will Carleton Charter School Academy is a single-school charter district, and Will Carleton Charter School Academy is its only campus.
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.