Houghton-Portage Township 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.

Houghton, Michigan - 3 schools

An equity score of 25/100 ranks Houghton-Portage Township School District #678 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,319 per pupil, Houghton-Portage Township School District ranks #669 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,445
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$11,319
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Houghton-Portage Township School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,445 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle 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 Houghton County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,319 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 25.6% local, 64.7% state, and 9.8% 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 25/100, ranked #678 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 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 486:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 23.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 90.0% White, 4.7% Asian, 1.0% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Houghton Middle School, with a diversity index of 20.2/100.

Its largest campus is Houghton Elementary School, enrolling 618 students (42% of the district's total enrollment).

Houghton Elementary School accounts for 42.4% of all Houghton-Portage Township School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Houghton-Portage Township School District-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

Houghton-Portage Township School District student-counselor ratio is 486:1 — 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

Houghton-Portage Township School District chronic absenteeism rate is 23.6% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Houghton-Portage Township School District is typically wider than the Houghton-Portage Township School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

9.8%
Federal
64.7%
State
25.6%
Local

Funding Equity

25
Equity Score
678 / 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 3 schools in Houghton-Portage Township School District.

White 90.0%
Hispanic or Latino 1.0%
African American 0.9%
Asian 4.7%
Multiracial 3.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 18.6/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Houghton-Portage Township School District's schools, below the Michigan average of 36.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Houghton Middle School 20.2
  2. 2 Houghton Elementary School 19.0
  3. 3 Houghton Central High School 16.7

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
6 AP courses total
486:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
23.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Houghton-Portage Township School District

School Enrollment
Houghton Elementary School
618
Houghton Central High School
481
Houghton Middle School
359

How Houghton-Portage Township School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Benton Harbor Area Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
New Haven Community Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Ida Public School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Bridgeport-Spaulding Community School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Watervliet School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Houghton-Portage Township 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.

Compare Houghton-Portage Township 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 Houghton-Portage Township School District?

Houghton-Portage Township School District has 3 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,445 students.

How much does Houghton-Portage Township School District spend per student?

Houghton-Portage Township School District spends $11,319 per student. The district has an equity score of 25/100, ranking #678 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Houghton-Portage Township School District?

Houghton-Portage Township School District students are 90.0% White, 4.7% Asian, 1.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Houghton-Portage Township School District?

Houghton-Portage Township School District has an equity score of 25/100, ranking #678 out of 707 districts in Michigan.