Enrollment
168
Elementary
DISTRICT 411 · STATE 369
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·STANDISH-STERLING COMMUNITY SCHOOLS·NCES 263294006847
Sterling Elementary School
338 W STATE ST, STERLING, MI 48659 · (989) 654-2367 · Arenac County
GRADES PK–05ELEMENTARY42-RURALTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL168 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
14.2:1
12 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 17.5:1 · STATE 15.8:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
60%
101 students
DISTRICT 57% · STATE 55%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 168 | 100% |
Student demographics
17%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 11% · STATE 56% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Schools most like Sterling Elementary School
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Elementary School this school | 168 | 60.1% | N/A |
| Bertha Neal School DURAND | 158 | 59.5% | N/A |
| Au GresSims Elementary School AU GRES | 167 | 62.9% | 60.1% |
| Millside Elementary School CLAY | 179 | 61.5% | N/A |
| AkronFairgrove Elem School AKRON | 179 | 63.7% | 59.9% |
| Merrill Elementary School MERRILL | 196 | 59.2% | 42.8% |
Matched among Michigan elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Sterling Elementary School ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 168 | #1,482 of 1,630 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 60.1% | #703 of 1,563 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
168
+2 (+1%) vs 2020
-64% since 1990-91, when it was 464
Student : Teacher
14.2:1
was 18.4:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 168 | 11.8 | 14.2:1 | 60% (101) |
| 2023-24 | 174 | 11.8 | 14.7:1 | 66% (114) |
| 2022-23 | 175 | 11.8 | 14.8:1 | 63% (110) |
| 2020-21 | 166 | 9 | 18.4:1 | 67% (112) |
| 2017-18 | 140 | 8.7 | 16.1:1 | 61% (86) |
| 2015-16 | 307 | 15 | 20.5:1 | 60% (185) |
| 2010-11 | 314 | 14 | 22.4:1 | 56% (177) |
| 2000-01 | 392 | 19 | 20.6:1 | 49% (194) |
| 1990-91 | 464 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Sterling Elementary School.
Since 2017-18: students up 20% (140 to 168); teachers up 36% (8.7 to 11.8).
About Sterling Elementary School
Sterling Elementary School is an elementary school with a street address in STERLING, Michigan. Grades offered run from pre-K through 5, with 168 students enrolled. For comparison, elementary schools in Michigan average about 369 students.
Standish-Sterling Community Schools includes 3 schools. Together they enroll 1,482 students.
Sterling Elementary School's enrollment is 91% White. The school is also 5% multiracial and 3% Hispanic. For comparison, Arenac County is about 93% White. Sterling Elementary School's diversity index is 17%, against a US figure of 70%.
Its teaching staff equals 11.8 full-time positions, a ratio of 14.2:1. That is lower than the 15.8:1 average for elementary schools in Michigan. Free and reduced-price lunch eligibility, a common measure of family income, is 60%. For comparison, public schools in Arenac County average 57%.
According to the American Community Survey, in Arenac County, the median household income is $58,811, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 16% of adults, and the poverty rate is about 8%. Besides Sterling Elementary School, Arenac County has 5 other public schools.
The nearest public school is StandishSterling Central Elementary School, at about 3.6 miles. Inside a five-mile radius, there are 2 other public schools.
Sterling Elementary School falls in the Rural: Distant locale category, used for schools in rural territory some distance from an urban area.
Sterling Elementary School had 166 students in 2020-21 and 168 in 2024-25, nearly the same. The school's ratio fell from 18.4:1 to 14.2:1 between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
Posts about school events, clubs, and volunteer needs are welcome on this page. Reviews and ratings from people who know the school are welcome.
Arenac County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
15,077
Census ACS
Median income
$58,811
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
16%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
8%
Below federal line
Schools in county
6
1,896 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Standish-Sterling Community Schools
- StandishSterling Central JrSr High SchoolHigh · 660 students
- StandishSterling Central Elementary SchoolElementary · 654 students
Other Sterling Elementary schools
8 other US public schools in 9 states are named Sterling Elementary. Sterling Elementary School is the 6th largest of the 9.
- Sterling ElementaryPineville, NC · 786 students
- Sterling Elementary SchoolBrunswick, GA · 767 students
- Sterling ElementarySterling, VA · 430 students
- STERLING ELEM.WARRENSBURG, MO · 399 students
- Sterling Elementary SchoolSterling, OK · 213 students
Nearby schools
- StandishSterling Central Elementary School3.6 mi · 654
- StandishSterling Central JrSr High School3.8 mi · 660
- Pinconning High School12.8 mi · 370
- Pinconning Middle School12.8 mi · 244
- Pinconning Central Elementary School12.9 mi · 359
- WhittemorePrescott JrSr High School15.2 mi · 260
Frequently asked questions
About Sterling Elementary SchoolWhat is the total enrollment at Sterling Elementary School?
Sterling Elementary School enrolls approximately 168 students in grades PK-05.
What grades does Sterling Elementary School serve?
Sterling Elementary School serves grades PK-05.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sterling Elementary School?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Sterling Elementary School is approximately 14.2:1 (12 FTE teachers).
How diverse is Sterling Elementary School?
Sterling Elementary School reports a student body of 91% White, 3% Hispanic, 1% Black, 5% Two or more.
Who oversees Sterling Elementary School?
Sterling Elementary School is overseen by Standish-Sterling Community Schools in Arenac County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.