Ferndale Public Schools

Public school district · Oakland County · Michigan · NCES district ID 2614280

Ferndale Public Schools spent $14,163 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, below the middle: 51% of the other Michigan districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 spent more (median $14,214). Its 6 schools enrolled 3,102 students in 2024-25; 58.4% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $15,020 per student, up 6.1% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 69% (Michigan: 81.8%).

NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method

Spending per student among Michigan districts of similar size

Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. The 9 districts closest to Ferndale Public Schools in enrollment (3,061 to 3,228 students) and Ferndale Public Schools itself.

Current spending per student, Michigan districts closest in size to Ferndale Public Schools, FY23Garden City Public Schools $20,375; Warren Woods Public Schools $16,406; Holly Area $15,107; Northview Public Schools $14,880; Ferndale Public Schools $14,163; Fenton Area Public Schools $14,140; Cedar Springs Public Schools $14,092; Thornapple Kellogg $13,578; Cadillac Area Public Schools $12,569; DeWitt Public Schools $11,942; State median, 1,000+ students $14,214.10k15k20k25kGarden City Public Schools$20,375Warren Woods Public Schools$16,406Holly Area$15,107Northview Public Schools$14,880Ferndale Public Schools$14,163Fenton Area Public Schools$14,140Cedar Springs Public Schools$14,092Thornapple Kellogg$13,578Cadillac Area Public Schools$12,569DeWitt Public Schools$11,942State median, 1,000+ students $14,214
Current spending per student, Michigan districts closest in size to Ferndale Public Schools, FY23Garden City Public Schools $20,375; Warren Woods Public Schools $16,406; Holly Area $15,107; Northview Public Schools $14,880; Ferndale Public Schools $14,163; Fenton Area Public Schools $14,140; Cedar Springs Public Schools $14,092; Thornapple Kellogg $13,578; Cadillac Area Public Schools $12,569; DeWitt Public Schools $11,942; State median, 1,000+ students $14,214.10k15k20k25kGarden City Public Schools$20,375Warren Woods Public Schools$16,406Holly Area$15,107Northview Public Schools$14,880Ferndale Public Schools$14,163Fenton Area Public Schools$14,140Cedar Springs Public Schools$14,092Thornapple Kellogg$13,578Cadillac Area Public Schools$12,569DeWitt Public Schools$11,942State median, 1,000+ students $14,214
Current spending per student, Michigan districts closest in size to Ferndale Public Schools, FY23Garden City Public Schools $20,375; Warren Woods Public Schools $16,406; Holly Area $15,107; Northview Public Schools $14,880; Ferndale Public Schools $14,163; Fenton Area Public Schools $14,140; Cedar Springs Public Schools $14,092; Thornapple Kellogg $13,578; Cadillac Area Public Schools $12,569; DeWitt Public Schools $11,942; State median, 1,000+ students $14,214.10k15k20k25kGarden City Public Schools$20,375Warren Woods Public Schools$16,406Holly Area$15,107Northview Public Schools$14,880Ferndale Public Schools$14,163Fenton Area Public Schools$14,140Cedar Springs Public Schools$14,092Thornapple Kellogg$13,578Cadillac Area Public Schools$12,569DeWitt Public Schools$11,942State median, 1,000+ students $14,214
Current spending per student, Michigan districts closest in size to Ferndale Public Schools, FY23Garden City Public Schools $20,375; Warren Woods Public Schools $16,406; Holly Area $15,107; Northview Public Schools $14,880; Ferndale Public Schools $14,163; Fenton Area Public Schools $14,140; Cedar Springs Public Schools $14,092; Thornapple Kellogg $13,578; Cadillac Area Public Schools $12,569; DeWitt Public Schools $11,942; State median, 1,000+ students $14,214.10k15k20k25kGarden City Public Schools$20,375Warren Woods Public Schools$16,406Holly Area$15,107Northview Public Schools$14,880Ferndale Public Schools$14,163Fenton Area Public Schools$14,140Cedar Springs Public Schools$14,092Thornapple Kellogg$13,578Cadillac Area Public Schools$12,569DeWitt Public Schools$11,942State median, 1,000+ students $14,214

Where the money came from

$57,869,000 in revenue: 58.4% state, 32.0% local and 9.6% federal. Total spending including $30,827,000 of capital outlay was $79,818,000, or $25,493 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.

Ferndale Public Schools revenue by source, fiscal year 2022-23State $33,773,000; Local $18,547,000; Federal $5,549,000; total $57,869,000.
  • State$33,773,000 58%
  • Local$18,547,000 32%
  • Federal$5,549,000 10%

Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 347 districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).

Enrollment held steady from 2022-23 to 2024-25

3,086 students in 2022-23, 3,130 students in 2023-24, 3,102 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.

Ferndale Public Schools enrollment by school year2022-23: 3,086, 2023-24: 3,130, 2024-25: 3,10201k2k3k4k2022-233,0862023-243,1302024-253,102
Ferndale Public Schools enrollment by school year2022-23: 3,086, 2023-24: 3,130, 2024-25: 3,10201k2k3k4k2022-233,0862023-243,1302024-253,102
Ferndale Public Schools enrollment by school year2022-23: 3,086, 2023-24: 3,130, 2024-25: 3,10201k2k3k4k2022-233,0862023-243,1302024-253,102
Ferndale Public Schools enrollment by school year2022-23: 3,086, 2023-24: 3,130, 2024-25: 3,10201k2k3k4k2022-233,0862023-243,1302024-253,102

Teachers and students per teacher

School yearStudentsTeachers (FTE)Per teacher
2022-233,086161.519.1
2023-243,130162.919.2
2024-253,102168.218.4

Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.

$11,320,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $3,615 per student

Ferndale Public Schools booked $11,320,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 172 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $65,711 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 64 in 100 Michigan districts with a figure (state median $62,387, 536 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Michigan teacher salary at $65,198 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).

ProgramTeacher salariesShare
Regular programs$9,367,00082.7%
Special education$1,191,00010.5%
Vocational$57,0000.5%
Other programs$705,0006.2%

Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23

The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $3,339 in 2018-19, $3,302 in 2019-20, $3,502 in 2020-21, $3,621 in 2021-22, $3,615 in 2022-23.

Ferndale Public Schools teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $3,339, 2019-20: $3,302, 2020-21: $3,502, 2021-22: $3,621, 2022-23: $3,61501k2k3k4k2018-19$3,3392019-20$3,3022020-21$3,5022021-22$3,6212022-23$3,615
Ferndale Public Schools teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $3,339, 2019-20: $3,302, 2020-21: $3,502, 2021-22: $3,621, 2022-23: $3,61501k2k3k4k2018-19$3,3392019-20$3,3022020-21$3,5022021-22$3,6212022-23$3,615
Ferndale Public Schools teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $3,339, 2019-20: $3,302, 2020-21: $3,502, 2021-22: $3,621, 2022-23: $3,61501k2k3k4k2018-19$3,3392019-20$3,3022020-21$3,5022021-22$3,6212022-23$3,615
Ferndale Public Schools teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $3,339, 2019-20: $3,302, 2020-21: $3,502, 2021-22: $3,621, 2022-23: $3,61501k2k3k4k2018-19$3,3392019-20$3,3022020-21$3,5022021-22$3,6212022-23$3,615

Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).

State test results, 2021-22

In 2021-22, the students tested in Ferndale Public Schools scored proficient or above: 37-41% in reading and 17-21% in math, against 44% in reading and 34% in math across Michigan. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within Michigan, not across states. Where a state published results by grade only, the grades tested are combined, weighted by the students tested in each.

Students proficient or above, 2021-22
SubjectThis districtMichiganStudents tested
Reading and language arts37-41%44%938
Math17-21%34%942

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.

Graduation rate, class of 2023

69% of the 404 students in Ferndale Public Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 81.8% across Michigan. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out, and counts those who earned a regular diploma by 2023. Every state computes it the same way under federal law, though each sets its own diploma requirements.

Four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rate, class of 2023
This districtMichigan
Four-year graduation rate69%81.8%
Students in the class404115,301

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express: ED shows district rates as ranges (for example 90-94%) and leaves out small classes.

2 elementary schools, 1,018 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Ferndale Lower Elementary Campus51716.642.6%Not Title I
Ferndale Upper Elementary Campus50116.641.1%Not Title I

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.

1 middle school, 528 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Ferndale Middle School52817.043.2%Targeted program

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.

3 high schools, 1,556 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Ferndale High School73917.445.2%Not Title I
University High School46921.869.9%Schoolwide program
Tri County Educational Center34829.078.4%Targeted program

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.

Contact Ferndale Public Schools

Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.

What to look at next about Ferndale Public Schools

  1. Michigan districts by spending per studentFerndale Public Schools ranks 179 of 347 Michigan districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($14,163).#179 of 347
  2. Every school district in MichiganFerndale Public Schools is the number 115 by size of 892 Michigan districts, with 3,131 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#115 of 892
  3. Cadillac Area Public SchoolsThe next larger Michigan district: 3,158 students in fall 2022, $12,569 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$12,569
  4. Warren Woods Public SchoolsThe next smaller Michigan district: 3,118 students in fall 2022, $16,406 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$16,406
  5. Compare Ferndale Public Schools with Cadillac Area Public SchoolsEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
  6. Ferndale High School, its largest high school739 students in 2024-25, 17.4 per teacher.739
  7. Teacher salary spending across MichiganFerndale Public Schools spent $65,711 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $62,387); spending, not a salary.$65,711
  8. Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.

Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).

Questions about Ferndale Public Schools

  1. How many schools and students are in Ferndale Public Schools?
    6 schools were open in 2024-25 (2 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high), enrolling 3,102 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.
  2. How much does Ferndale Public Schools spend per student?
    $14,163 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the Michigan median for districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $14,214 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $15,020 per student, up 6.1% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).
  3. Where does Ferndale Public Schools' money come from?
    $57,869,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 58.4% state, 32.0% local and 9.6% federal (NCES F-33).
  4. How many children in Ferndale Public Schools live in poverty?
    The Census Bureau estimates that 212 of the 2,439 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 8.7%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.
  5. How much does Ferndale Public Schools spend on teacher salaries?
    $11,320,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $3,615 per student. Divided by the 172 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $65,711 per teacher, more than 64 in 100 Michigan districts (state median $62,387). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Michigan teacher salary at $65,198 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
  6. How do students in Ferndale Public Schools do on state tests?
    In 2021-22, the students tested in Ferndale Public Schools scored proficient or above: 37-41% in reading and 17-21% in math, against 44% in reading and 34% in math across Michigan. Michigan's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.
  7. What is the graduation rate in Ferndale Public Schools?
    69% of the 404 students in Ferndale Public Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 81.8% across Michigan. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23.
  8. What is Ferndale Public Schools' NCES district ID?
    2614280. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.

Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.

Sources

Every federal file behind this record
  • NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
  • NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
  • Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
  • EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
  • EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23: the class of 2023 for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
  • EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
  • NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
  • NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
  • U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25

Compiled from official source data by .