Grand Rapids Public Schools

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — 50 schools

13,787
Total Enrollment
50
Schools
$19,650
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Grand Rapids Public Schools operates 50 public schools serving 13,787 students, placing it among the larger districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 33 other, 9 high, 8 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 13,883 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Kent County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $19,650 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 32.7% local, 45.7% state, and 21.6% 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 $67,134 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 58/100, ranked #232 of 756 in Michigan against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 7 of 50 schools offering Advanced Placement (16 AP courses district-wide), a 339.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 60.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 34.3% Hispanic or Latino, 32.0% African American, 25.3% White across the district's schools.

Grand Rapids Public Schools school enrollment varies 955× across entities

Grand Rapids Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 1 students (lowest) to 955 students (highest), a spread of 954 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

Grand Rapids Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 71.3% 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

Grand Rapids Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 339:1 — 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 Grand Rapids Public Schools is typically wider than the Grand Rapids Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Grand Rapids Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 60.5% — 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?

21.6%
Federal
45.7%
State
32.7%
Local

Funding Equity

58
Equity Score
232 / 756
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Kent County county, where this district is located.

$1,232
Studio/mo
$1,278
1 BR/mo
$1,531
2 BR/mo
$1,980
3 BR/mo
$2,189
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$67,134
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 50 schools in Grand Rapids Public Schools.

White 25.3%
Hispanic or Latino 34.3%
African American 32.0%
Asian 0.9%
Multiracial 7.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

7 / 50
Schools with AP
16 AP courses total
339.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
60.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Grand Rapids Public Schools

School Enrollment
City Middlehigh
955
Union High School
881
Harrison Park Academy
708
Southwest Elementary Academia Bilingue
661
Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
494
Burton Middle School
488
Ca Frost Environmental Science Academy Elementary
476
Cesar E Chavez Elementary
437
Innovation Central High
386
Ottawa Hills High School
385
Buchanan Elementary
379
North Park Montessori Academy
379
Southwest Middlehigh Academia Bilingue
378
Kent Hills Elementary
370
Burton Elementary
365
Alger Middle School
314
Ca Frost Environmental Science Academy Middle High School
309
Sibley School
308
Martin Luther King Leadership Academy
299
Grand Rapids Montessori Academy
297
Shawmut Hills School
267
Grand Rapids Public Museum High
267
Mulick Park Elementary School
264
Brookside Elementary
254
Coit Creative Arts Academy
246
Aberdeen Academy
241
Congress Elementary
237
Riverside Middle School
227
Dickinson Academy
224
Gerald R Ford Academic Center
213
Campus Elementary
210
Palmer School
187
Grand Rapids Montessori Middlehigh
184
Westwood Middle School
176
Grand Rapids Public Museum Middle
175
East Leonard Elementary
167
Newcomers Community School
157
Stocking Elementary
148
Ridgemoor Park Montessori
131
Sherwood Global Studies Academy
121
Kenosha Park Elementary
118
Southeast Career Pathways
106
Blandford School
60
Center for Economicology
60
John Ball Park Zoo School
58
Union High Transition
50
Grand Rapids Learning Center
39
Ottawa High Transition
14
Bethany Based School
12
Home Education Site
1

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 · $13,844/pupil
Compare vs Grand Rapids Public Schools →
Dearborn City School District
20,128 students · 37 schools · $17,609/pupil
Compare vs Grand Rapids Public Schools →
Ann Arbor Public Schools
17,026 students · 32 schools · $22,548/pupil
Compare vs Grand Rapids Public Schools →
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
16,294 students · 25 schools · $16,462/pupil
Compare vs Grand Rapids Public Schools →

Compare Grand Rapids 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 Grand Rapids Public Schools?

Grand Rapids Public Schools has 50 schools, including 33 other, 9 high, 8 middle. Total enrollment is 13,787 students.

How much does Grand Rapids Public Schools spend per student?

Grand Rapids Public Schools spends $19,650 per student. The district has an equity score of 58/100, ranking #232 in Michigan.

What is the average teacher salary in Grand Rapids Public Schools?

The average teacher salary in Grand Rapids Public Schools is $67,134 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Grand Rapids Public Schools?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Kent County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Grand Rapids Public Schools?

Grand Rapids Public Schools students are 34.3% Hispanic or Latino, 32.0% African American, 25.3% White, 0.9% Asian, averaged across 50 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Grand Rapids Public Schools?

Grand Rapids Public Schools has an equity score of 58/100, ranking #232 out of 756 districts in Michigan. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
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Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.