Chesaning Union 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.

Chesaning, Michigan - 4 schools

An equity score of 52/100 ranks Chesaning Union Schools #307 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,055 per pupil, Chesaning Union Schools ranks #541 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,419
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$12,055
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Chesaning Union Schools operates 4 public schools serving 1,419 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high, 1 elementary, 1 combined 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 Saginaw County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,055 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 23.4% local, 65.1% state, and 11.5% 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 52/100, ranked #307 of 707 in Michigan against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (9 AP courses district-wide), a 387:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 39.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 87.0% White, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 1.9% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Chesaning Union Schools Alternative Education, with a diversity index of 36.6/100.

Its largest campus is Chesaning Middle School, enrolling 584 students (42% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Chesaning Union Schools Alternative Education, at 19 students, a 31x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Chesaning Middle School accounts for 41.2% of all Chesaning Union Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Chesaning Union Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. 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

Chesaning Union Schools school enrollment varies 31× across entities

Chesaning Union Schools school enrollment ranges from 19 students (lowest) to 584 students (highest), a spread of 565 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity, the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. 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

Chesaning Union Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 55.4% 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

Chesaning Union Schools student-counselor ratio is 387:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Chesaning Union Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 39.7% — 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?

11.5%
Federal
65.1%
State
23.4%
Local

Funding Equity

52
Equity Score
307 / 707
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 4 schools in Chesaning Union Schools.

White 87.0%
Hispanic or Latino 6.5%
African American 1.9%
Multiracial 2.8%
Other 1.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 23.3/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Chesaning Union Schools's schools, below the Michigan average of 36.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Chesaning Union Schools Alternative Education 36.6
  2. 2 Chesaning Union High School 20.7
  3. 3 Big Rock Elementary School 18.8
  4. 4 Chesaning Middle School 17.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
9 AP courses total
387:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
39.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Chesaning Union Schools

School Enrollment
Chesaning Middle School
584
Big Rock Elementary School
393
Chesaning Union High School
381
Chesaning Union Schools Alternative Education
19

How Chesaning Union Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
University Preparatory Science and Math (Psad) Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Detroit Service Learning Academy Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Almont Community Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Ida Public School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
New Haven Community Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

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

Compare Chesaning Union 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 Chesaning Union Schools?

Chesaning Union Schools has 4 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 combined, 2 high. Total enrollment is 1,419 students.

How much does Chesaning Union Schools spend per student?

Chesaning Union Schools spends $12,055 per student. The district has an equity score of 52/100, ranking #307 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Chesaning Union Schools?

Chesaning Union Schools students are 87.0% White, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 1.9% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Chesaning Union Schools?

Chesaning Union Schools has an equity score of 52/100, ranking #307 out of 707 districts in Michigan.