JPS Montessori Center

Set in JACKSON, Michigan, JPS Montessori Center is a micro-enrollment K-5 school, run under Jackson Public Schools. It caters to 146 students across grades K through 5. That puts it 60% smaller than the typical public school in Michigan, which averages around 369 students.

JPS Montessori Center is one of 12 schools operated by Jackson Public Schools, a district that teaches 4,310 students overall.

In terms of who attends, JPS Montessori Center lists that the most-represented group is White (40%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups; the rest looks like 29% multiracial, 26% Black, 4% Hispanic. The wider county runs roughly 83% White, putting the school's mix visibly less White than the area baseline.

On the income-and-resources front, Staff filings list 9 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 16.9:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 15.8:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Roughly 78% of students at JPS Montessori Center qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Jackson County runs at roughly 53%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat above the surrounding baseline.

In the broader community, ACS estimates for Jackson County put the typical household earns roughly $66,073 per year, roughly 23% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Jackson County's 68 public schools (combined enrollment of about 21,681 students), JPS Montessori Center is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Jackson High School, roughly 0.5 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The campus sits in a high-density setting.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count climbed 27%: 115 students in 2018 compared to 146 in 2025. Hispanic enrollment moved from 14% to 4% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 26.1:1 in 2018 to 16.9:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.