Ada Elementary School

Ada Elementary School, an intimate elementary campus in ADA, Michigan, overseen by Forest Hills Public Schools, educates 293 students, covering grades pre-K through 4. Compared to the state average of about 369 students per school, that is 21% leaner than typical.

Across the 18 schools in Forest Hills Public Schools (8,797 students total), Ada Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On demographics, Ada Elementary School lists that White students make up the majority at 80%; the rest looks like 9% Asian, 5% multiracial, 5% Hispanic.

Looking at school resources, Staff filings list 25 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 11.9:1 students per teacher. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 15.8:1 average. About 11% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Kent County runs at roughly 47%, so the school's eligibility rate is below the surrounding baseline.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Ada Elementary School ranks in the top 10% of Michigan public schools. The BeatsExpectations model, a per-state regression of composite proficiency on FRL share, predicts schools with this student profile to land around 61.4%; Ada Elementary School posts 78.3%, +16.9 points above that line.

Around the school, census data for Kent County shows median household income runs about $82,631, 41% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 6%. Across Kent County's 239 public schools (combined enrollment of about 97,253 students), Ada Elementary School is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Ada Vista Elementary School, around 0.1 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Ada Elementary School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Ada Elementary School at 1st of 8; the average score across the group is 69.9%.

Geographically, the school is in a commuter-belt area.

Trend over the last 7 years. Ada Elementary School's enrollment has edged down 15% since 2018, when it stood at 345 (now 293). Over the same period, the White share declined from 84% to 80%. Class-load math has pulled in: from 14.5:1 in 2018 to 11.9:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, recent activity here tends to focus on science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.