Lawton Community 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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Lawton, Michigan - 4 schools

An equity score of 38/100 ranks Lawton Community School District #541 of 702 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,926 per pupil, Lawton Community School District ranks #603 of 812 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,050
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$12,926
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Lawton Community School District operates 4 public schools serving 1,050 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 combined, 1 elementary 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 Van Buren County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,926 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 812 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending. See how Michigan compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 27.6% local, 57.7% state, and 14.7% 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 38/100, ranked #541 of 702 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 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 574.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 26.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 76.0% White, 17.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lawton Accelerated Academic Center, with a diversity index of 49.4/100.

Its largest campus is Lawton Elementary School, enrolling 397 students (39% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Lawton Accelerated Academic Center, at 26 students, a 15x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Lawton Elementary School accounts for 37.8% of all Lawton Community School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Lawton Community School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Lawton Community School District school enrollment varies 15× across entities

Lawton Community School District school enrollment ranges from 26 students (lowest) to 397 students (highest), a spread of 371 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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

Lawton Community School District student-counselor ratio is 574:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Lawton Community School District chronic absenteeism rate is 26.9% — 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 Lawton Community School District is typically wider than the Lawton Community School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

14.7%
Federal
57.7%
State
27.6%
Local

Funding Equity

38
Equity Score
541 / 702
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 4 schools in Lawton Community School District.

White 76.0%
Hispanic or Latino 17.2%
Multiracial 6.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 38.1/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Lawton Community School District's schools, about the same as the Michigan average of 36.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Lawton Accelerated Academic Center 49.4
  2. 2 Lawton High School 36.7
  3. 3 Lawton Middle School 34.9
  4. 4 Lawton Elementary School 31.3

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
574.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
26.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Lawton Community School District

School Enrollment
Lawton Elementary School
397
Lawton Middle School
325
Lawton High School
279
Lawton Accelerated Academic Center
26

How Lawton Community School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Bendle Public Schools Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Lakeview Community Schools (Montcalm) Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Mcbain Rural Agricultural Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Morley Stanwood Community Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Ravenna Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Lawton Community 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.

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Lawton Community 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 Lawton Community School District?

Lawton Community School District has 4 schools, including 3 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 1,050 students.

How much does Lawton Community School District spend per student?

Lawton Community School District spends $12,926 per student. The district has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #541 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Lawton Community School District?

Lawton Community School District students are 76.0% White, 17.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% African American, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Lawton Community School District?

Lawton Community School District has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #541 out of 702 districts in Michigan.