Cole Academy

Located at 1915 W MOUNT HOPE AVE, in LANSING, Michigan, Cole Academy is a close-knit elementary school that instructs 155 students (grades K through 5), part of Cole Academy. That puts it 58% leaner than the typical public school in Michigan, which averages around 369 students.

Cole Academy comprises 2 schools with combined enrollment of 303 students; Cole Academy is among them.

On the student-mix side, Cole Academy records that the largest single group is Black at 38%, but no single group is in the majority. Beyond that, the school reports 25% Hispanic, 19% White, 18% multiracial. By comparison, Ingham County as a whole is about 11% Black, so the school skews considerably more Black than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, The school currently runs with 6 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 25.8:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.8:1, putting Cole Academy higher than the state norm the norm. About 66% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Ingham County runs at roughly 49%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

In the surrounding community, Ingham County reports that median household income runs about $65,526, 41% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 9%. Across Ingham County's 100 public schools (combined enrollment of about 37,914 students), Cole Academy is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Dwight Rich School of the Arts, around 0.5 miles off. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The school occupies an urban site. As a public charter, Cole Academy runs on public funding but with greater curricular and operational autonomy than a typical district school.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Cole Academy has edged down 26%, going from 209 students in 2018 to 155 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share declined from 32% to 19%. The student-to-teacher ratio rose from 22.0:1 in 2018 to 25.8:1 today.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.