Northwest Community 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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Jackson, Michigan - 5 schools

An equity score of 30/100 ranks Northwest Community Schools #635 of 702 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,624 per pupil, Northwest Community Schools ranks #642 of 812 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,560
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$12,624
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Northwest Community Schools operates 5 public schools serving 3,560 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined 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 Jackson County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,624 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 812 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending. See how Michigan compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 19.7% local, 65.0% state, and 15.3% 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 30/100, ranked #635 of 702 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 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 579.6:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 50.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 76.0% White, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino, 4.2% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Northwest Connect, with a diversity index of 44.4/100.

Its largest campus is Northwest High School, enrolling 958 students (27% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Northwest Connect, at 157 students, a 6x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Northwest High School accounts for 26.9% of all Northwest Community Schools student enrollment

That concentration means Northwest Community Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Northwest Community Schools school enrollment varies 6.1× across entities

Northwest Community Schools school enrollment ranges from 157 students (lowest) to 958 students (highest), a spread of 801 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

Northwest Community Schools student-counselor ratio is 580:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 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

Northwest Community Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 50.1% — 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

Where does the funding come from?

15.3%
Federal
65.0%
State
19.7%
Local

Funding Equity

30
Equity Score
635 / 702
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 Northwest Community Schools.

White 76.0%
Hispanic or Latino 7.2%
African American 4.2%
Asian 1.0%
Multiracial 11.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 40.1/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Northwest Community Schools's schools, above the Michigan average of 36.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Northwest Connect 44.4
  2. 2 Northwest Kidder Middle School 43.2
  3. 3 Northwest Elementary School 39.2
  4. 4 Northwest Early Elementary School 37.9
  5. 5 Northwest High School 35.9

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
579.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
50.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Northwest Community Schools

School Enrollment
Northwest High School
958
Northwest Early Elementary School
848
Northwest Kidder Middle School
786
Northwest Elementary School
758
Northwest Connect
157

How Northwest Community Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Lincoln Consolidated School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Reeths-Puffer Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Greenville Public Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Mattawan Consolidated School Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Swartz Creek Community Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Northwest Community 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 · $14,295/pupil
Compare vs Northwest Community Schools →
Dearborn City School District
20,128 students · 37 schools · $18,204/pupil
Compare vs Northwest Community Schools →
Ann Arbor Public Schools
17,026 students · 32 schools · $19,271/pupil
Compare vs Northwest Community Schools →
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
16,294 students · 25 schools · $14,974/pupil
Compare vs Northwest Community Schools →

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 Northwest Community 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 Northwest Community Schools?

Northwest Community Schools has 5 schools, including 1 high, 2 elementary, 1 middle, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 3,560 students.

How much does Northwest Community Schools spend per student?

Northwest Community Schools spends $12,624 per student. The district has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #635 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Northwest Community Schools?

Northwest Community Schools students are 76.0% White, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino, 4.2% African American, 1.0% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Northwest Community Schools?

Northwest Community Schools has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #635 out of 702 districts in Michigan.