Marquette Area Public Schools

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.

Marquette, Michigan - 7 schools

An equity score of 34/100 ranks Marquette Area Public Schools #587 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,849 per pupil, Marquette Area Public Schools ranks #580 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,230
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$11,849
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Marquette Area Public Schools operates 7 public schools serving 3,230 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 combined, 3 elementary, 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 Marquette County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,849 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 32.5% local, 58.1% state, and 9.5% 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 34/100, ranked #587 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 (15 AP courses district-wide), a 319.2:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 36.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 84.9% White, 2.7% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Vandenboom Alternative High School, with a diversity index of 34.1/100.

Its largest campus is Marquette Senior High School, enrolling 940 students (29% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Vandenboom Alternative High School, at 127 students, a 7x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Marquette Senior High School accounts for 29.1% of all Marquette Area Public Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Marquette Area Public Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Marquette Area Public Schools school enrollment varies 7.4× across entities

Marquette Area Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 127 students (lowest) to 940 students (highest), a spread of 813 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

Marquette Area Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 319:1 — 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 Marquette Area Public Schools is typically wider than the Marquette Area Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Marquette Area Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 36.0% — 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?

9.5%
Federal
58.1%
State
32.5%
Local

Funding Equity

34
Equity Score
587 / 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 7 schools in Marquette Area Public Schools.

White 84.9%
Hispanic or Latino 2.7%
African American 1.0%
Asian 0.7%
Multiracial 7.8%
Other 3.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 27.0/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Marquette Area Public Schools's schools, below the Michigan average of 36.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Vandenboom Alternative High School 34.1
  2. 2 Graveraet Elementary School 28.5
  3. 3 Sandy Knoll School 27.8
  4. 4 Bothwell Middle School 26.1
  5. 5 Cherry Creek Elementary School 25.6

Programs & Resources

1 / 7
Schools with AP
15 AP courses total
319.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
36.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Marquette Area Public Schools

School Enrollment
Marquette Senior High School
940
Bothwell Middle School
696
Cherry Creek Elementary School
430
Superior Hills Elementary School
405
Sandy Knoll School
322
Graveraet Elementary School
289
Vandenboom Alternative High School
127

How Marquette Area Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Garden City Public Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Lake Shore Public Schools (Macomb) Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Gull Lake Community Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Cedar Springs Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Mason Public Schools (Ingham) Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Marquette Area Public Schools'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.

Utica Community Schools
25,744 students · 38 schools · $12,513/pupil
Compare vs Marquette Area Public Schools →
Dearborn City School District
20,128 students · 37 schools · $16,677/pupil
Compare vs Marquette Area Public Schools →
Ann Arbor Public Schools
17,026 students · 32 schools · $17,642/pupil
Compare vs Marquette Area Public Schools →

Compare Marquette Area Public Schools

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 Marquette Area Public Schools?

Marquette Area Public Schools has 7 schools, including 3 combined, 3 elementary, 1 high. Total enrollment is 3,230 students.

How much does Marquette Area Public Schools spend per student?

Marquette Area Public Schools spends $11,849 per student. The district has an equity score of 34/100, ranking #587 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Marquette Area Public Schools?

Marquette Area Public Schools students are 84.9% White, 2.7% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American, 0.7% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Marquette Area Public Schools?

Marquette Area Public Schools has an equity score of 34/100, ranking #587 out of 707 districts in Michigan.