River City Scholars Charter Academy

944 EVERGREEN ST SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49507

rivercity.heritageacademies.com

Charter School 346 Students

Elementary School K - 8th

School Overview

River City Scholars Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, serving students from kindergarten through eighth grade. As part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA) network, the school operates with a mission to challenge students academically while fostering a supportive environment built on a foundation of strong character and moral focus. The academy emphasizes a partnership between educators, students, and parents to ensure that every child is prepared for success in high school and beyond.

The school’s curriculum is designed to balance rigorous academic standards with character-based instruction, utilizing a "Moral Focus" program that integrates values like respect, integrity, and perseverance into the daily classroom experience. By focusing on both academic mastery and personal development, River City Scholars aims to create a well-rounded educational experience. With its centralized location on Evergreen Street, the school serves as a key educational option for families in the Grand Rapids area looking for an alternative to traditional district schools.

346

Total Students

28.1

Full-Time Teachers

12.3

Student/Teacher Ratio

79.2%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for River City Scholars Charter Academy
Demographic	Student Count
White	21
Hispanic	36
Black	255
Two or More	33
American Indian	1

Black
255 (73.7 %)
Hispanic
36 (10.4 %)
Two or More
33 (9.5 %)
White
21 (6.1 %)
American Indian
1 (0.3 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	River City Scholars Charter Academy
Phone:	(616)248-3390
Website:	http://rivercity.heritageacademies.com
Grade Range:	K - 8th
Total Students:	346
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	28.1
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	12.3
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	255
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	19

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 36

Grade 1 42

Grade 2 45

Grade 3 38

Grade 4 34

Grade 5 43

Grade 6 40

Grade 7 21

Grade 8 47