Buchanan Elementary

1775 BUCHANAN AVE SW
GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49507

359 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th

School Overview

Buchanan School, located at 1775 Buchanan Ave SW in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a specialized educational facility operating under the Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) district. It is widely recognized for its commitment to serving students with significant developmental, cognitive, and physical disabilities. The school provides a highly structured and supportive environment tailored to meet the unique needs of students who require specialized instruction and therapeutic services beyond what is typically available in a general education setting.

The educational approach at Buchanan focuses on fostering independence, communication skills, and functional life skills. The school employs a multidisciplinary team—often including special education teachers, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists—to create individualized education programs (IEPs) for each student. By emphasizing a holistic approach, Buchanan School aims to empower its students to reach their full potential, ensuring they have access to a curriculum that is both accessible and meaningful for their specific developmental trajectories.

359

Total Students

21.3

Full-Time Teachers

16.9

Student/Teacher Ratio

89.1%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Buchanan Elementary
Demographic	Student Count
White	5
Hispanic	312
Black	39
Two or More	3

Hispanic
312 (86.9 %)
Black
39 (10.9 %)
White
5 (1.4 %)
Two or More
3 (0.8 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	Supplemental Virtual
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Grand Rapids Public Schools
Phone:	(616)819-2252
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 5th
Total Students:	359
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	21.3
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	16.9
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	310
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	10

* 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 61

Grade 1 60

Grade 2 65

Grade 3 51

Grade 4 70

Grade 5 52