Cardinal Elementary

Set in MUSKEGON, Michigan, Cardinal Elementary is a sizable K-5 school, one of the schools within Orchard View Schools. It educates 611 students across grades K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 369 students per school, that is 66% larger than typical.

Cardinal Elementary is one of 5 schools operated by Orchard View Schools, a district that serves 2,041 students overall.

Demographically, Cardinal Elementary records that 54% of students identify as White, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest is composed of 27% Black, 9% Hispanic, 8% multiracial. By comparison, Muskegon County as a whole is about 77% White, so the school skews visibly less White than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Cardinal Elementary has 44 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 13.8:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.8:1, putting Cardinal Elementary tighter than the state norm the norm. About 71% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. By comparison, Muskegon County runs at roughly 59%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat above the surrounding baseline.

With demographic context factored in, Cardinal Elementary falls in the UNDERPERFORMING tier of the BeatsExpectations residual. Given its student profile, a typical campus would land near 34.8%; this one comes in at 22.6%, -12.2 points off the demographic line.

In the surrounding community, census data for Muskegon County shows median household earnings sit near $65,024, roughly 21% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 10%. Across Muskegon County's 71 public schools (combined enrollment of about 25,245 students), Cardinal Elementary is one campus in the mix.

Orchard View Middle School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.4 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

The campus sits in a residential setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count contracted 3%: 628 students in 2018 compared to 611 in 2025. Black enrollment moved from 14% to 27% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 17.0:1 in 2018 to 13.8:1 today.

On this page, the feed for Cardinal Elementary typically covers classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.