East China 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.

East China, Michigan - 10 schools

An equity score of 34/100 ranks East China School District #585 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,232 per pupil, East China School District ranks #505 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,688
Total Enrollment
10
Schools
$12,232
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

East China School District operates 10 public schools serving 3,688 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 3 high, 2 combined, 1 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 $12,232 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 39.7% local, 52.8% state, and 7.5% 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 34/100, ranked #585 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 2 of 10 schools offering Advanced Placement (15 AP courses district-wide), a 328.4:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 32.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 95.4% White, 2.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is St Clair Middle School, with a diversity index of 12.8/100.

Its largest campus is St Clair High School, enrolling 715 students (21% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Riverview East High School, at 25 students, a 29x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

St Clair High School accounts for 19.4% of all East China School District student enrollment

That concentration means East China 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

East China School District school enrollment varies 29× across entities

East China School District school enrollment ranges from 25 students (lowest) to 715 students (highest), a spread of 690 students. That spread is wider than typical and predicts noticeable gaps in service quality between the highest and lowest areas. 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

East China School District student-counselor ratio is 328:1 — 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 East China School District is typically wider than the East China School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

East China School District chronic absenteeism rate is 32.5% — 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?

7.5%
Federal
52.8%
State
39.7%
Local

Funding Equity

34
Equity Score
585 / 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 10 schools in East China School District.

White 95.4%
Hispanic or Latino 2.1%
African American 1.0%
Multiracial 1.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 8.9/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 St Clair Middle School 12.8
  2. 2 Pine River Elementary School 12.6
  3. 3 St Clair High School 11.4
  4. 4 Belle River Elementary School 11.2
  5. 5 Gearing Elementary School 10.9

Programs & Resources

2 / 10
Schools with AP
15 AP courses total
328.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
32.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in East China School District

School Enrollment
St Clair High School
715
St Clair Middle School
614
Marine City High School
437
Gearing Elementary School
353
Belle River Elementary School
343
Pine River Elementary School
335
Marine City Middle School
330
Palms Elementary School
245
East China Virtual Academy
33
Riverview East High School
25

How East China School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Allen Park Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Oak Park School District of the City of Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Alpena Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Ypsilanti Community Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Gibraltar School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

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

Compare East China 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 East China School District?

East China School District has 10 schools, including 3 high, 4 elementary, 2 combined, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 3,688 students.

How much does East China School District spend per student?

East China School District spends $12,232 per student. The district has an equity score of 34/100, ranking #585 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of East China School District?

East China School District students are 95.4% White, 2.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 10 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for East China School District?

East China School District has an equity score of 34/100, ranking #585 out of 707 districts in Michigan.