Lighthouse Academy

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.

Grand Rapids, Michigan - 7 schools

An equity score of 93/100 ranks Lighthouse Academy #2 of 702 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $21,047 per pupil, Lighthouse Academy ranks #47 of 812 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

344
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$21,047
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Lighthouse Academy operates 7 public schools serving 344 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 combined, 1 high 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 Kent County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $21,047 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 82 of 812 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending. See how Michigan compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 7.7% local, 64.9% state, and 27.4% 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 93/100, ranked #2 of 702 in Michigan against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

and 25.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 48.0% African American, 31.3% White, 11.3% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lighthouse Academy Juvenile Justice Institute, with a diversity index of 67.4/100.

Its largest campus is Lighthouse Academy South Campus, enrolling 213 students (58% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Lighthouse Academy the Pier, at 7 students, a 30x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Lighthouse Academy South Campus accounts for 57.6% of all Lighthouse Academy student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Lighthouse Academy a distant remainder — means Lighthouse Academy-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. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Lighthouse Academy school enrollment varies 30× across entities

Lighthouse Academy school enrollment ranges from 7 students (lowest) to 213 students (highest), a spread of 206 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

Lighthouse Academy reports 92.2% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is above 87.5%, so economic need is widespread across the measured student population. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Lighthouse Academy chronic absenteeism rate is 25.5% — 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 Lighthouse Academy is typically wider than the Lighthouse Academy-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

27.4%
Federal
64.9%
State
7.7%
Local

Funding Equity

93
Equity Score
2 / 702
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 7 schools in Lighthouse Academy.

White 31.3%
Hispanic or Latino 11.3%
African American 48.0%
Asian 1.4%
Multiracial 7.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 59.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Lighthouse Academy's schools, above the Michigan average of 36.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Lighthouse Academy Juvenile Justice Institute 67.4
  2. 2 Lighthouse Academy Eagle Village 67.3
  3. 3 Lighthouse Academy South Campus 65.9
  4. 4 Lighthouse Academy Ottawa Juvenile Detention Center 64.3
  5. 5 Lighthouse Academy Waalkes 60.6

Programs & Resources

25.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Lighthouse Academy

School Enrollment
Lighthouse Academy South Campus
Charter
213
Lighthouse Academy Waalkes
Charter
73
Lighthouse Academy Eagle Village
Charter
32
Lighthouse Academy Ottawa Juvenile Detention Center
Charter
17
Muskegon County Juvenile Transition Center
Charter
14
Lighthouse Academy Juvenile Justice Institute
Charter
14
Lighthouse Academy the Pier
Charter
7

How Lighthouse Academy Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Hale Area Schools Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Sanilac Isd Similar size No spending data More locally funded
River City Scholars Charter Academy Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
William C. Abney Academy Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Mid-Michigan Leadership Academy Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Lighthouse Academy'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.

Detroit Public Schools Community District
48,548 students · 107 schools · $22,002/pupil
Compare vs Lighthouse Academy →
Utica Community Schools
25,744 students · 38 schools · $14,295/pupil
Compare vs Lighthouse Academy →
Dearborn City School District
20,128 students · 37 schools · $18,204/pupil
Compare vs Lighthouse Academy →
Ann Arbor Public Schools
17,026 students · 32 schools · $19,271/pupil
Compare vs Lighthouse Academy →
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
16,294 students · 25 schools · $14,974/pupil
Compare vs Lighthouse Academy →

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 Lighthouse Academy

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 Lighthouse Academy?

Lighthouse Academy has 7 schools, including 6 combined, 1 high. Total enrollment is 344 students.

How much does Lighthouse Academy spend per student?

Lighthouse Academy spends $21,047 per student. The district has an equity score of 93/100, ranking #2 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Lighthouse Academy?

Lighthouse Academy students are 48.0% African American, 31.3% White, 11.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Lighthouse Academy?

Lighthouse Academy has an equity score of 93/100, ranking #2 out of 702 districts in Michigan.