Public schools in Niles, MI
16 open public schools with an address in Niles, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
16
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
4,408
16 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
17.5:1
Michigan median 16.3:1
Charter schools
0
1 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Niles public schools
The federal directory lists 16 public schools in Niles, MI: 6 elementary, 2 middle, 6 high, 2 combined or other. The 16 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 4,408 students, an average of 276 per school. The largest campus is Niles Senior High School (828 students), and the largest elementary school is HowardEllis Elementary School (529).
Niles Community Schools operates the most schools here (11), and 2 regular districts have at least one Niles campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 17.5:1, higher than the statewide school median of 16.3:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 magnet school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 8 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 8 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 61% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Niles
Elementary schools in Niles
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard Elementary School Niles Community Schools | PK–05 | 516 | 18.5:1 | |
| Brandywine Elementary School Brandywine Community Schools | 03–06 | 379 | 16.5:1 | |
| Eastside Connections School Niles Community Schools · Magnet | KG–08 | 403 | 18.5:1 | |
| HowardEllis Elementary School Niles Community Schools | KG–05 | 529 | 19.5:1 | |
| Merritt Elementary School Brandywine Community Schools | PK–02 | 304 | 14.1:1 | |
| Northside Child Development Center Niles Community Schools | PK–KG | 13 | 4.5:1 |
Middle schools in Niles
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandywine Middle School Brandywine Community Schools | 07–08 | 183 | 16.9:1 | |
| Ring Lardner Middle School Niles Community Schools | 06–08 | 510 | 17.5:1 |
High schools in Niles
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandywine Innovation Academy Brandywine Community Schools · Alternative School | 06–12 | 69 | 59:1 | |
| Brandywine Senior High School Brandywine Community Schools | 09–12 | 366 | 15.7:1 | |
| Niles Cedar Lane Niles Community Schools · Alternative School | 09–12 | 134 | 24.9:1 | |
| Niles Comm Schools Adult Education Niles Community Schools · Alternative School | 09–12 | 24 | 32:1 | |
| Niles Senior High School Niles Community Schools | 09–12 | 828 | 20.4:1 | |
| WAY Niles Niles Community Schools · Alternative School | 06–12 | 95 | — |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Niles
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niles Virtual School Niles Community Schools | KG–12 | 18 | 11.6:1 | |
| Southside Special Educ School Niles Community Schools · Special Education School | 04–12 | 37 | 12.3:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White69.9%
- Hispanic9.6%
- Black9.2%
- Asian0.5%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.8%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial9.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 16 Niles schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (4,408 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Niles
How many public schools are in Niles, MI?
The current NCES directory lists 16 open public schools with a location address in Niles: 6 elementary, 2 middle, 6 high, 2 combined or other. Together they reported 4,408 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Niles?
Schools with an address in Niles belong to 2 education agencies, led by Niles Community Schools (11 schools), Brandywine Community Schools (5 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Niles?
Niles Senior High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Niles, with 828 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Niles?
No school with an address in Niles is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Michigan.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Niles schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Niles public schools is 17.5:1, higher than the Michigan school median of 16.3:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Niles guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Michigan cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Michigan cities