Bad Axe Public Schools

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.

Bad Axe, Michigan - 4 schools

An equity score of 37/100 ranks Bad Axe Public Schools #556 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,755 per pupil, Bad Axe Public Schools ranks #414 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

887
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$12,755
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Bad Axe Public Schools operates 4 public schools serving 887 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 combined, 1 high schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Huron County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,755 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 33.4% local, 57.5% state, and 9.1% 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 37/100, ranked #556 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 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), a 336:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 40.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 91.8% White, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Ascent High School, with a diversity index of 20.0/100.

Its largest campus is Bad Axe High School, enrolling 336 students (42% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Ascent High School, at 37 students, a 9x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Bad Axe High School accounts for 37.9% of all Bad Axe Public Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Bad Axe Public Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Bad Axe Public Schools school enrollment varies 9.1× across entities

Bad Axe Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 37 students (lowest) to 336 students (highest), a spread of 299 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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

Bad Axe Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 57.9% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Bad Axe Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 336:1 — 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 Bad Axe Public Schools is typically wider than the Bad Axe Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Bad Axe Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 40.3% — 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?

9.1%
Federal
57.5%
State
33.4%
Local

Funding Equity

37
Equity Score
556 / 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 4 schools in Bad Axe Public Schools.

White 91.8%
Hispanic or Latino 3.3%
African American 1.1%
Asian 1.0%
Multiracial 2.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 15.5/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Bad Axe Public Schools's schools, below the Michigan average of 36.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Ascent High School 20.0
  2. 2 Bad Axe Elementary School 16.7
  3. 3 Bad Axe Middle School 14.3
  4. 4 Bad Axe High School 10.9

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
3 AP courses total
336:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
40.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Bad Axe Public Schools

School Enrollment
Bad Axe High School
336
Bad Axe Middle School
227
Bad Axe Elementary School
191
Ascent High School
37

How Bad Axe Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
International Academy of Flint Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Evart Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Vassar Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
New Lothrop Area Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Michigan Collegiate Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Bad Axe Public Schools'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 Bad Axe Public Schools →
Dearborn City School District
20,128 students · 37 schools · $16,677/pupil
Compare vs Bad Axe Public Schools →
Ann Arbor Public Schools
17,026 students · 32 schools · $17,642/pupil
Compare vs Bad Axe Public Schools →
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
16,294 students · 25 schools · $13,630/pupil
Compare vs Bad Axe Public Schools →

Compare Bad Axe Public Schools

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 Bad Axe Public Schools?

Bad Axe Public Schools has 4 schools, including 1 combined, 2 elementary, 1 high. Total enrollment is 887 students.

How much does Bad Axe Public Schools spend per student?

Bad Axe Public Schools spends $12,755 per student. The district has an equity score of 37/100, ranking #556 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Bad Axe Public Schools?

Bad Axe Public Schools students are 91.8% White, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% African American, 1.0% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Bad Axe Public Schools?

Bad Axe Public Schools has an equity score of 37/100, ranking #556 out of 707 districts in Michigan.