Paw Paw Public School District

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.

Paw Paw, Michigan - 5 schools

An equity score of 34/100 ranks Paw Paw Public School District #591 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,049 per pupil, Paw Paw Public School District ranks #543 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,191
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$12,049
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Paw Paw Public School District operates 5 public schools serving 2,191 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined, 1 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 Van Buren County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,049 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, 62.0% state, and 11.1% 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 #591 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 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 297.7:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 33.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 80.1% White, 10.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Paw Paw Early Elementary School, with a diversity index of 36.9/100.

Its largest campus is Paw Paw High School, enrolling 638 students (30% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Cedar Street Community and Family Center, at 76 students, a 8x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Paw Paw High School accounts for 29.1% of all Paw Paw Public School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Paw Paw Public School District-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

Paw Paw Public School District school enrollment varies 8.4× across entities

Paw Paw Public School District school enrollment ranges from 76 students (lowest) to 638 students (highest), a spread of 562 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

Paw Paw Public School District student-counselor ratio is 298:1 — 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 Paw Paw Public School District is typically wider than the Paw Paw Public School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Paw Paw Public School District chronic absenteeism rate is 33.2% — 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?

11.1%
Federal
62.0%
State
26.8%
Local

Funding Equity

34
Equity Score
591 / 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 Paw Paw Public School District.

White 80.1%
Hispanic or Latino 10.8%
African American 1.0%
Asian 1.0%
Multiracial 6.4%
Other 0.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 34.1/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Paw Paw Public School District's schools, below the Michigan average of 36.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Paw Paw Early Elementary School 36.9
  2. 2 Paw Paw Later Elementary 36.2
  3. 3 Cedar Street Community and Family Center 36.0
  4. 4 Paw Paw High School 31.0
  5. 5 Paw Paw Middle School 30.4

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
6 AP courses total
297.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
33.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Paw Paw Public School District

School Enrollment
Paw Paw High School
638
Paw Paw Middle School
498
Paw Paw Early Elementary School
481
Paw Paw Later Elementary
453
Cedar Street Community and Family Center
76

How Paw Paw Public School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Allegan Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Fitzgerald Public Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Orchard View Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Cesar Chavez Academy Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Pinckney Community Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Paw Paw Public School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Michigan

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Compare Paw Paw Public School District

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 Paw Paw Public School District?

Paw Paw Public School District has 5 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 2 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,191 students.

How much does Paw Paw Public School District spend per student?

Paw Paw Public School District spends $12,049 per student. The district has an equity score of 34/100, ranking #591 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Paw Paw Public School District?

Paw Paw Public School District students are 80.1% White, 10.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American, 1.0% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Paw Paw Public School District?

Paw Paw Public School District has an equity score of 34/100, ranking #591 out of 707 districts in Michigan.