Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 10 schools in district

Three Fires Elementary

4125 CROOKED LAKE RD, HOWELL, MI 48843Howell Public Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
670
Students
Total enrolled
$14,536
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
15.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
47/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 670 students in grades KG–05 in HOWELL, Michigan.
Near-average funding
District spends $14,536 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 47th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Three Fires Elementary is a large elementary in HOWELL, Michigan, serving grades KG–05 with 670 students. The district invests $14,536 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 40% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Three Fires Elementary

670
Total Students
15.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
40%
Free Lunch
42
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution359 male · 311 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility40%
National avg 52% · 266 students
Student Composition
92%
White92%
Hispanic / Latino3%
Black1%
Multiracial3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 261872005552

Academic Outcomes at Three Fires Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
47
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 47th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 66th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 48843

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$14,536Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$14,536
State avg
$37,188
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,396
Student Support$2,762
Administration$1,744
Operations$2,180
Other$1,454
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $14,536 spent per student, an estimated $6,439 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
55%
38%
State government
54.8%
Local (property tax)
38.1%
Federal programs
7.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Voyager Elementary SchoolSouthwest Elementary SchoolChallenger Elementary SchoolRuahmah J Hutchings Elementary
+1 more
↓
Middle
Highlander Way Middle SchoolParker Middle School
↓
High School
Howell High SchoolInnovation Academy
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyLivingston County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictHowell Public Schools →
Phone: (517)548-6387
NCES ID: 261872005552
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in HOWELL seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Howell Public Schools
High
Howell High School
2,024 students · 09–12
● 47 opp25% FRL
Mid
Highlander Way Middle School
744 students · 06–08
● 47 opp34% FRL
Mid
Parker Middle School
741 students · 06–08
● 47 opp34% FRL
Elem
Voyager Elementary School
566 students · PK–05
● 47 opp26% FRL
Elem
Southwest Elementary School
551 students · PK–05
● 47 opp38% FRL
Elem
Challenger Elementary School
486 students · KG–05
● 47 opp34% FRL
Elem
Ruahmah J Hutchings Elementary
468 students · PK–05
● 43 opp22% FRL
Elem
Northwest Elementary School
434 students · PK–05
● 47 opp25% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
4125 CROOKED LAKE RD, HOWELL, MI 48843
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.