Enrollment
542
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Grand Ledge, MI
Willow Ridge Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Willow Ridge Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 261641000500
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Willow Ridge Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Michigan schools.
- #2 of 4
- elementary schools in Grand Ledge · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.7:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 23.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Willow Ridge Elementary School has class sizes larger than 70% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Willow Ridge Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 elementary schools in Grand Ledge, MI.
School address
District: Grand Ledge Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261641000500 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.7:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.3%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Willow Ridge Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Willow Ridge Elementary School
Willow Ridge Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Grand Ledge, Michigan, enrolling 542 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 23.3% free-meal eligibility runs 57% below the Michigan average.
Enrollment of 542 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 523 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #438, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (72%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 45/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 542 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Grand Ledge Public Schools also operates Grand Ledge High School (1,704 students) and Kenneth T Beagle Middle School (835 students) alongside Willow Ridge 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 Willow Ridge Elementary School compares
Willow Ridge 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 | 18.7:1 | ▲ 7% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.3% | ▼ 57% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 542 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.7:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
542
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.7:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 70% in Michigan - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
26.0%
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
$13,018
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 542 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.0 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 72.3%
Hispanic or Latino 12.0%
Two or More 6.6%
Asian 6.3%
African American 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 72.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.4, Willow Ridge Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Grand Ledge Public Schools, which includes Willow Ridge Elementary School.
$13,018
Per student
-4%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.3%
State 50.4%
Federal 7.3%
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 Willow Ridge Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Ledge High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kenneth T Beagle Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Leon W Hayes Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Delta Center Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tc Holbrook Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Willow Ridge Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,704
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 835
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 810
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 528
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 506
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
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 (~542 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Willow Ridge Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Willow Ridge Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Grand Ledge 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 Willow Ridge Elementary School
How many students attend Willow Ridge Elementary School?
Willow Ridge Elementary School has 542 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Grand Ledge, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Willow Ridge Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Willow Ridge Elementary School is 18.7:1, which is 7% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 19% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Willow Ridge Elementary School?
23.3% of students at Willow Ridge Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Willow Ridge Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Willow Ridge Elementary School is White at 72.3% of enrollment, in Grand Ledge, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Willow Ridge Elementary School?
Willow Ridge Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Willow Ridge Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Grand Ledge?
By Resource Investment Index, Willow Ridge Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 elementary schools in Grand Ledge, 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 Grand Ledge on the city page.
Is Willow Ridge Elementary School a good school?
Willow Ridge Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% 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 Grand Ledge Public Schools?
Besides Willow Ridge Elementary School, Grand Ledge Public Schools also operates Grand Ledge High School (1,704 students), Kenneth T Beagle Middle School (835 students), and Leon W Hayes Intermediate School (810 students). See the Grand Ledge 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.