Mason County Central 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.

Scottville, Michigan - 5 schools

An equity score of 24/100 ranks Mason County Central Schools #684 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,332 per pupil, Mason County Central Schools ranks #667 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,260
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$11,332
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Mason County Central Schools operates 5 public schools serving 1,260 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high, 2 elementary, 1 middle 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 Mason County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,332 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 26.8% local, 60.6% state, and 12.6% 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 24/100, ranked #684 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.

a 413:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 52.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 87.0% White, 7.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.6% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Academy of Science Math and Technology Early College High Sc, with a diversity index of 48.1/100.

Its largest campus is Mason County Central Hs, enrolling 413 students (34% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Academy of Science Math and Technology Early College High Sc, at 45 students, a 9x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Mason County Central Hs accounts for 32.8% of all Mason County Central Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Mason County Central 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.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Mason County Central Schools school enrollment varies 9.2× across entities

Mason County Central Schools school enrollment ranges from 45 students (lowest) to 413 students (highest), a spread of 368 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 NCES Common Core of Data

Mason County Central Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 53.9% 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 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

Mason County Central Schools student-counselor ratio is 413:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Mason County Central Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 52.6% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 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 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

12.6%
Federal
60.6%
State
26.8%
Local

Funding Equity

24
Equity Score
684 / 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 5 schools in Mason County Central Schools.

White 87.0%
Hispanic or Latino 7.9%
African American 1.6%
Asian 0.6%
Multiracial 2.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 22.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Mason County Central Schools's schools, below the Michigan average of 36.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Academy of Science Math and Technology Early College High Sc 48.1
  2. 2 Mason County Central Hs 22.5
  3. 3 Mason County Central Upper Elementary 15.9
  4. 4 Mason County Central Ms 13.7
  5. 5 Scottville Elementary School 10.9

Programs & Resources

413:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
52.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Mason County Central Schools

School Enrollment
Mason County Central Hs
413
Mason County Central Ms
276
Mason County Central Upper Elementary
258
Scottville Elementary School
211
Academy of Science Math and Technology Early College High Sc
45

How Mason County Central Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Harrison Community Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Lincoln-King Adams-Young Academy Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Clinton Community Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Olivet Community Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Clawson Public Schools Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Mason County Central 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 Mason County Central Schools →
Dearborn City School District
20,128 students · 37 schools · $16,677/pupil
Compare vs Mason County Central Schools →
Ann Arbor Public Schools
17,026 students · 32 schools · $17,642/pupil
Compare vs Mason County Central Schools →

Compare Mason County Central 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 Mason County Central Schools?

Mason County Central Schools has 5 schools, including 2 high, 1 middle, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 1,260 students.

How much does Mason County Central Schools spend per student?

Mason County Central Schools spends $11,332 per student. The district has an equity score of 24/100, ranking #684 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Mason County Central Schools?

Mason County Central Schools students are 87.0% White, 7.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.6% African American, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Mason County Central Schools?

Mason County Central Schools has an equity score of 24/100, ranking #684 out of 707 districts in Michigan.