Anchor Bay School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Casco, Michigan - 11 schools

An equity score of 33/100 ranks Anchor Bay School District #605 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,460 per pupil, Anchor Bay School District ranks #458 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

5,429
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$12,460
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Anchor Bay School District operates 11 public schools serving 5,429 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 3 combined, 2 high, 2 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in St. Clair County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,460 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending. See how Michigan compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 32.8% local, 59.6% state, and 7.6% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 33/100, ranked #605 of 707 in Michigan against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 11 schools offering Advanced Placement (11 AP courses district-wide), a 308.6:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 36.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 86.1% White, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 3.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Francois Maconce Elem School, with a diversity index of 35.6/100.

Its largest campus is Anchor Bay High School, enrolling 1,740 students (33% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Sugarbush Early Childhood, at 14 students, a 124x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Anchor Bay High School accounts for 32.1% of all Anchor Bay School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Anchor Bay School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Anchor Bay School District school enrollment varies 124× across entities

Anchor Bay School District school enrollment ranges from 14 students (lowest) to 1,740 students (highest), a spread of 1,726 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Anchor Bay School District student-counselor ratio is 309:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Anchor Bay School District is typically wider than the Anchor Bay School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Anchor Bay School District chronic absenteeism rate is 36.3% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

7.6%
Federal
59.6%
State
32.8%
Local

Funding Equity

33
Equity Score
605 / 707
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 11 schools in Anchor Bay School District.

White 86.1%
Hispanic or Latino 3.9%
African American 3.3%
Asian 0.8%
Multiracial 5.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 25.1/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Anchor Bay School District's schools, below the Michigan average of 36.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Francois Maconce Elem School 35.6
  2. 2 Lottie M Schmidt Elem School 31.0
  3. 3 Anchor Bay Middle School South 30.1
  4. 4 Dean a Naldrett School 29.1
  5. 5 Anchor Bay High School 22.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 11
Schools with AP
11 AP courses total
308.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
36.3%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Anchor Bay School District

School Enrollment
Anchor Bay High School
1,740
Anchor Bay Middle School North
671
Anchor Bay Middle School South
509
Great Oaks Elementary School
468
Lighthouse Elementary School
441
Ashley Elementary School
441
Dean a Naldrett School
353
Lottie M Schmidt Elem School
338
Francois Maconce Elem School
319
Compass Pointe
24
Sugarbush Early Childhood
14

How Anchor Bay School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Taylor School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Grand Haven Area Public Schools Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Grandville Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Saginaw School District of the City of Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Davison Community Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Anchor Bay School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Michigan

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Utica Community Schools
25,744 students · 38 schools · $12,513/pupil
Compare vs Anchor Bay School District →
Dearborn City School District
20,128 students · 37 schools · $16,677/pupil
Compare vs Anchor Bay School District →
Ann Arbor Public Schools
17,026 students · 32 schools · $17,642/pupil
Compare vs Anchor Bay School District →
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
16,294 students · 25 schools · $13,630/pupil
Compare vs Anchor Bay School District →

Compare Anchor Bay School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Detroit Public Schools Community District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Anchor Bay School District?

Anchor Bay School District has 11 schools, including 2 high, 2 middle, 4 elementary, 3 combined. Total enrollment is 5,429 students.

How much does Anchor Bay School District spend per student?

Anchor Bay School District spends $12,460 per student. The district has an equity score of 33/100, ranking #605 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Anchor Bay School District?

Anchor Bay School District students are 86.1% White, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 3.3% African American, 0.8% Asian, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Anchor Bay School District?

Anchor Bay School District has an equity score of 33/100, ranking #605 out of 707 districts in Michigan.