Besser Elementary School

Besser Elementary School is a mid-tier K-5 school in ALPENA, Michigan, operated by Alpena Public Schools. The school serves 470 students in grades K through 5. By comparison, Michigan's public schools average about 369 students each, so Besser Elementary School sits 27% above that benchmark.

Besser Elementary School is one of 9 schools operated by Alpena Public Schools, a district that enrolls 3,553 students overall.

In terms of who attends, Besser Elementary School shows that nearly all students (89%) are White. Other groups include 6% multiracial, 4% Hispanic.

On the income-and-resources front, Staff filings list 26 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 18.4:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.8:1, putting Besser Elementary School higher than the state norm the norm. About 59% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Besser Elementary School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 40.0%; this one delivers 43.2%.

In the area at large, ACS estimates for Alpena County put median household income runs about $53,950, about 18% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 13%. Besser Elementary School is one of 10 public schools in Alpena County (combined enrollment of about 3,598 students).

The closest other public school is Pied Piper School, roughly 0.2 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 6 other public schools cluster around Besser Elementary School. On composite proficiency, Besser Elementary School comes 2nd of 5 in the immediate cluster, above the nearby-schools average of 42.2%.

Geographically, the school is in a town-center area.

Over the past 7-year window. Besser Elementary School's enrollment has edged up 7% since 2018, when it stood at 439 (now 470). Class-load math has fell: from 20.0:1 in 2018 to 18.4:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Besser Elementary School typically covers enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.