Lighthouse Academy

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — 7 schools

344
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$21,262
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Lighthouse Academy operates 7 public schools serving 344 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 other, 1 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 370 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 $21,262 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 7.7% local, 64.9% state, and 27.4% 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. The district's equity score — 87/100, ranked #3 of 756 in Michigan against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

and 44.1% 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.

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

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Lighthouse Academy-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: other. 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

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 NCES Common Core of Data

Lighthouse Academy has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 90.3% 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 — including this one — 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

Lighthouse Academy chronic absenteeism rate is 44.1% — 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?

27.4%
Federal
64.9%
State
7.7%
Local

Funding Equity

87
Equity Score
3 / 756
State Rank
50
State Average

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

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.

Programs & Resources

44.1%
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

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 · $22,228/pupil
Compare vs Lighthouse Academy →
Utica Community Schools
25,744 students · 38 schools · $13,844/pupil
Compare vs Lighthouse Academy →
Dearborn City School District
20,128 students · 37 schools · $17,609/pupil
Compare vs Lighthouse Academy →
Ann Arbor Public Schools
17,026 students · 32 schools · $22,548/pupil
Compare vs Lighthouse Academy →
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
16,294 students · 25 schools · $16,462/pupil
Compare vs Lighthouse Academy →

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 other, 1 high. Total enrollment is 344 students.

How much does Lighthouse Academy spend per student?

Lighthouse Academy spends $21,262 per student. The district has an equity score of 87/100, ranking #3 in Michigan.

What is the average rent near Lighthouse Academy?

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 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 87/100, ranking #3 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%
Industry baseline

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