South Haven 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.

South Haven, Michigan - 6 schools

An equity score of 61/100 ranks South Haven Public Schools #177 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,697 per pupil, South Haven Public Schools ranks #246 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,798
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$13,697
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

South Haven Public Schools operates 6 public schools serving 1,798 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high, 2 combined, 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 $13,697 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending. See how Michigan compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 51.4% local, 31.2% state, and 17.4% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 61/100, ranked #177 of 707 in Michigan against a state average of 50, notably more 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 (4 AP courses district-wide), a 253.5:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 45.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 64.7% White, 13.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Baseline Middle School, with a diversity index of 58.2/100.

Its largest campus is South Haven High School, enrolling 588 students (32% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Way South Haven, at 44 students, a 13x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

South Haven High School accounts for 32.4% of all South Haven Public Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means South Haven Public 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

South Haven Public Schools school enrollment varies 13× across entities

South Haven Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 44 students (lowest) to 588 students (highest), a spread of 544 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

South Haven Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 65.2% 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). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. 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

South Haven Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 254:1 — 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 South Haven Public Schools is typically wider than the South Haven Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

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

South Haven Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 45.4% — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

17.4%
Federal
31.2%
State
51.4%
Local

Funding Equity

61
Equity Score
177 / 707
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 6 schools in South Haven Public Schools.

White 64.7%
Hispanic or Latino 13.7%
African American 8.0%
Asian 0.9%
Multiracial 12.0%
Other 0.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 53.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across South Haven Public Schools's schools, above the Michigan average of 36.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Baseline Middle School 58.2
  2. 2 Lincoln School 56.0
  3. 3 South Haven High School 55.5
  4. 4 Way South Haven 54.9
  5. 5 Maple Grove Elementary School 50.3

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
253.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
45.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in South Haven Public Schools

School Enrollment
South Haven High School
588
Baseline Middle School
377
Maple Grove Elementary School
300
North Shore Elementary
255
Lincoln School
251
Way South Haven
44

How South Haven Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Dundee Community Schools Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Success Virtual Learning Centers of Michigan Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Comstock Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Swan Valley School District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
University Preparatory Academy (Psad) Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to South Haven 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 South Haven Public Schools →
Dearborn City School District
20,128 students · 37 schools · $16,677/pupil
Compare vs South Haven Public Schools →
Ann Arbor Public Schools
17,026 students · 32 schools · $17,642/pupil
Compare vs South Haven Public Schools →
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
16,294 students · 25 schools · $13,630/pupil
Compare vs South Haven Public Schools →

Compare South Haven 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 South Haven Public Schools?

South Haven Public Schools has 6 schools, including 2 high, 1 middle, 2 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 1,798 students.

How much does South Haven Public Schools spend per student?

South Haven Public Schools spends $13,697 per student. The district has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #177 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of South Haven Public Schools?

South Haven Public Schools students are 64.7% White, 13.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% African American, 0.9% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for South Haven Public Schools?

South Haven Public Schools has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #177 out of 707 districts in Michigan.