Bessie B Baker School

297 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 1st

School Overview

Bessie B. Baker Elementary School, located in Wayland, Michigan, is a foundational part of the Wayland Union Schools district. The school serves the local community by providing a structured educational environment focused on early childhood development and elementary academics. As part of a smaller school district, it emphasizes a supportive and close-knit atmosphere where educators strive to meet the individual learning needs of their students while fostering both social-emotional growth and core academic mastery.

The school’s identity is deeply rooted in the broader goals of Wayland Union Schools, which prioritize technology integration, student engagement, and strong community partnerships. Families at Bessie B. Baker benefit from the resources of a comprehensive public school system while enjoying the focused, nurturing setting typical of a neighborhood elementary school. Through its official website, the school maintains transparent communication with parents and keeps the community informed about academic calendars, district policies, and opportunities for involvement in the educational process.

297

Total Students

18.3

Full-Time Teachers

16.2

Student/Teacher Ratio

42.4%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Bessie B Baker School
Demographic	Student Count
White	252
Hispanic	18
Black	4
Two or More	20
American Indian	3

White
252 (84.8 %)
Two or More
20 (6.7 %)
Hispanic
18 (6.1 %)
Black
4 (1.3 %)
American Indian
3 (1.0 %)

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:	Wayland Union Schools
Phone:	(269)792-9208
Website:	http://waylandunion.org
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 1st
Total Students:	297
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	18.3
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	16.2
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	113
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	13

* 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 185

Grade 1 112