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

Owosso, Michigan - 6 schools

An equity score of 36/100 ranks Owosso Public Schools #558 of 702 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,263 per pupil, Owosso Public Schools ranks #547 of 812 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,948
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$13,263
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Owosso Public Schools operates 6 public schools serving 2,948 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high, 2 elementary, 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 Shiawassee County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,263 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 22.4% local, 63.9% state, and 13.7% 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 36/100, ranked #558 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 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (12 AP courses district-wide), a 268.3:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 54.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 88.1% White, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lincoln Alternative High School, with a diversity index of 26.1/100.

Its largest campus is Owosso High School, enrolling 805 students (28% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Lincoln Alternative High School, at 131 students, a 6x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Owosso High School accounts for 27.3% of all Owosso Public Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Owosso Public 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

Owosso Public Schools school enrollment varies 6.1× across entities

Owosso Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 131 students (lowest) to 805 students (highest), a spread of 674 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

Owosso Public Schools reports 57.7% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share clears the 50% majority mark. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Owosso Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 268:1 — 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 Owosso Public Schools is typically wider than the Owosso Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Owosso Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 54.4% — 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?

13.7%
Federal
63.9%
State
22.4%
Local

Funding Equity

36
Equity Score
558 / 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 6 schools in Owosso Public Schools.

White 88.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%
African American 0.8%
Multiracial 5.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 21.8/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Lincoln Alternative High School 26.1
  2. 2 Bryant School 23.2
  3. 3 Central School 23.2
  4. 4 Owosso Middle School 21.4
  5. 5 Owosso High School 18.8

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
12 AP courses total
268.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
54.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Owosso Public Schools

School Enrollment
Owosso High School
805
Owosso Middle School
641
Bryant School
431
Emerson School
421
Central School
409
Lincoln Alternative High School
131

How Owosso Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Hazel Park School District of the City of Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
East Grand Rapids Public Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Melvindale-Northern Allen Park Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
St. Joseph Public Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Sturgis Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

Owosso Public Schools has 6 schools, including 2 high, 1 middle, 1 combined, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,948 students.

How much does Owosso Public Schools spend per student?

Owosso Public Schools spends $13,263 per student. The district has an equity score of 36/100, ranking #558 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Owosso Public Schools?

Owosso Public Schools students are 88.1% White, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Owosso Public Schools?

Owosso Public Schools has an equity score of 36/100, ranking #558 out of 702 districts in Michigan.