Parchment Central Elem School

As an intimate primary school in KALAMAZOO, Michigan, Parchment Central Elem School teaches 289 students from grades pre-K through 3, one of the schools within Parchment School District. By comparison, Michigan's public schools average about 369 students each, so Parchment Central Elem School sits 22% leaner than that benchmark.

Parchment School District comprises 6 schools with combined enrollment of 1,558 students; Parchment Central Elem School is among them.

On the student-mix side, Parchment Central Elem School logs that White students make up the majority at 66%. The remainder consists of 16% multiracial, 12% Black, 5% Hispanic. That is considerably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 76%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, The school lists 16 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 18.1:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.8:1, putting Parchment Central Elem School higher than the state norm the norm. About 62% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against Kalamazoo County (around 45%), the school's rate is meaningfully above typical.

In the area at large, census data for Kalamazoo County shows median household income runs about $72,532, 41% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 8%. Parchment Central Elem School is one of 93 public schools in Kalamazoo County (combined enrollment of about 34,151 students).

The closest other public school is Parchment High School, roughly 0.2 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

The school occupies a bedroom-community site.

Over the past 7-year window. Parchment Central Elem School's enrollment has ticked up 17% since 2018, when it stood at 248 (now 289). The White share of enrollment ticked down from 75% to 66% over that span.

Inside the community feed, members of the Parchment Central Elem School community share and discuss classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.