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Lowell, Michigan - 7 schools
An equity score of 33/100 ranks Lowell Area Schools #606 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $12,374 per pupil, Lowell Area Schools ranks #478 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
3,498
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$12,374
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Lowell Area Schools operates 7 public schools serving 3,498 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 combined, 2 high, 1 middle, 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 Kent County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,374 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 33.0% local, 59.6% state, and 7.4% 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 33/100, ranked #606 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 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (14 AP courses district-wide), a 312.6:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 22.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 88.9% White, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Cherry Creek Elementary School, with a diversity index of 25.8/100.
Its largest campus is Lowell Senior High School, enrolling 1,058 students (31% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Unity Alternative School, at 19 students, a 56x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Lowell Senior High School accounts for 30.2% of all Lowell Area Schools student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Lowell Area Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. 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.
Lowell Area Schools school enrollment varies 56× across entities
Lowell Area Schools school enrollment ranges from 19 students (lowest) to 1,058 students (highest), a spread of 1,039 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.
Lowell Area Schools student-counselor ratio is 313:1 — 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 Lowell Area Schools is typically wider than the Lowell Area Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Lowell Area Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 22.1% — 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 Lowell Area Schools is typically wider than the Lowell Area Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Lowell Area Schools has 7 schools, including 2 high, 1 middle, 1 elementary, 3 combined. Total enrollment is 3,498 students.
How much does Lowell Area Schools spend per student?
Lowell Area Schools spends $12,374 per student. The district has an equity score of 33/100, ranking #606 in Michigan.
What is the demographic composition of Lowell Area Schools?
Lowell Area Schools students are 88.9% White, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% African American, 0.7% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Lowell Area Schools?
Lowell Area Schools has an equity score of 33/100, ranking #606 out of 707 districts in Michigan.