Big Rapids Public Schools operates 5 public schools serving 2,363 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 other, 1 high, 1 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 2,196 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Mecosta County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,374 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 25.2% local, 60.4% state, and 14.4% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $59,849 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 34/100, ranked #630 of 756 in Michigan against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), and 52.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 86.9% White, 3.4% African American, 2.4% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.
Big Rapids High School accounts for 34.4% of all Big Rapids Public Schools student enrollment
That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Big Rapids Public Schools-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.
Big Rapids Public Schools school enrollment varies 6.6× across entities
Big Rapids Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 115 students (lowest) to 755 students (highest), a spread of 640 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio — most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Big Rapids Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 53.6% 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.
Big Rapids Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 52.6% — 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.
How many schools are in Big Rapids Public Schools?
Big Rapids Public Schools has 5 schools, including 1 high, 1 elementary, 3 other. Total enrollment is 2,363 students.
How much does Big Rapids Public Schools spend per student?
Big Rapids Public Schools spends $14,374 per student. The district has an equity score of 34/100, ranking #630 in Michigan.
What is the average teacher salary in Big Rapids Public Schools?
The average teacher salary in Big Rapids Public Schools is $59,849 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Big Rapids Public Schools?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Mecosta County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Big Rapids Public Schools?
Big Rapids Public Schools students are 86.9% White, 3.4% African American, 2.4% Hispanic or Latino, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Big Rapids Public Schools?
Big Rapids Public Schools has an equity score of 34/100, ranking #630 out of 756 districts in Michigan. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.