Bursley School vs JIA Elementary
JIA Elementary has a higher overall rating of 9.6/10 compared to 8.7/10. Bursley School is significantly larger with 402 students, about 7.6× the size of JIA Elementary (53). In math proficiency, JIA Elementary leads at 49.5%.
Bursley School
Jenison, MI
402 students
JIA Elementary
Jenison, MI
53 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | Bursley School | JIA Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 8.7 / 10 | 9.6 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 8.7 | 9.3 |
| Growth Score | 8.4 | 10.0 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 46% | 35.8% |
| Environment Score | 9.2 | 9.2 |
| State Rank | #142 of 3,190 | #7 of 3,190 |
| State Percentile | 96th | 100th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Bursley School | JIA Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 47.0% | 49.5% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 57.0% | 49.5% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
| Detail | Bursley School | JIA Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Elementary School | Elementary School |
| Grades | Kindergarten – 6th | Kindergarten – 5th |
| Enrollment | 402 | 53 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 11.5:1 | 10.6:1 |
| Per-Pupil Spending | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 46.0% | 35.8% |
| Chronic Absenteeism | — | — |
| District | Jenison Public Schools | Jenison Public Schools |
| City | Jenison | Jenison |
Neighborhood
| Metric | Jenison (49428) | Jenison (49428) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $92,290 | $92,290 |
| Median Home Value | $276,100 | $276,100 |
| Median Rent | $1,373 | $1,373 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 38.5% | 38.5% |
| Poverty Rate | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Avg Commute | 21 min | 21 min |
The data story: Bursley School vs JIA Elementary
Bursley School and JIA Elementary sit 1.5 miles apart in Jenison, Michigan, but their state rankings tell sharply different stories. Bursley School ranks #142 out of 3,190 Michigan schools — a strong result by any measure — while JIA Elementary ranks #7 out of 3,190, placing it among the top fraction of a percent statewide. JIA Elementary carries an overall rating of 9.6/10 against Bursley School's 8.7/10, a gap that widens considerably when you look at what drives it.
On academic performance, JIA Elementary scores 9.3/10 versus Bursley School's 8.7/10 — a meaningful 0.6-point difference on a 10-point scale. The growth score separates them further: JIA Elementary earns a perfect 10.0/10 in student growth while Bursley School posts an 8.4/10, a 1.6-point gap indicating that JIA Elementary students are making measurably faster academic progress relative to their starting points. These two scores together explain most of the overall rating distance between the schools.
The enrollment gap is striking. Bursley School serves 402 students across kindergarten through sixth grade; JIA Elementary enrolls just 53 students through fifth grade. That scale difference shows in the student-teacher ratios — 10.6:1 at JIA Elementary versus 11.5:1 at Bursley School — meaning JIA Elementary students average roughly one fewer student per teacher. On economic diversity, Bursley School serves more students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch (46%) compared to JIA Elementary (36%), a 10-percentage-point difference that reflects a broader income range in Bursley's student body.
Grade coverage also differs. Bursley School extends through sixth grade, while JIA Elementary tops out at fifth, meaning families at JIA Elementary will need to plan a school transition one year earlier. Both schools are public elementary schools operating within the same district and zip-code cluster, so this grade-span difference is a practical logistics question, not a quality signal.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Bursley School
Bursley School suits families who want a well-established neighborhood elementary with a broader grade span through sixth grade, a more economically diverse student body, and a proven track record in the top 5% of Michigan schools — without the uncertainty of coordinating an earlier middle-school transition.
JIA Elementary
JIA Elementary suits families who prioritize maximum academic growth and top-tier state standing, and who are comfortable with — or actively seek — an intimate, small-cohort environment of roughly 50 students with a slightly lower student-teacher ratio and a fifth-grade endpoint.