Traverse City Area Public Schools

TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan — 16 schools

8,712
Total Enrollment
16
Schools
$16,860
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Traverse City Area Public Schools operates 16 public schools serving 8,712 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 12 other, 2 high, 2 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 8,546 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Grand Traverse County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,860 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 48.6% local, 40.7% state, and 10.7% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $60,069 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 41/100, ranked #525 of 756 in Michigan against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 16 schools offering Advanced Placement (48 AP courses district-wide), a 317.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 34.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 87.0% White, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 3.1% African American across the district's schools.

West Senior High accounts for 16.2% of all Traverse City Area Public Schools student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Traverse City Area 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

Traverse City Area Public Schools school enrollment varies 8.1× across entities

Traverse City Area Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 171 students (lowest) to 1,384 students (highest), a spread of 1,213 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

Traverse City Area Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 318:1 — 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 Traverse City Area Public Schools is typically wider than the Traverse City Area Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Traverse City Area Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 34.7% — 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?

10.7%
Federal
40.7%
State
48.6%
Local

Funding Equity

41
Equity Score
525 / 756
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Grand Traverse County county, where this district is located.

$1,136
Studio/mo
$1,143
1 BR/mo
$1,357
2 BR/mo
$1,747
3 BR/mo
$1,797
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$60,069
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 16 schools in Traverse City Area Public Schools.

White 87.0%
Hispanic or Latino 4.4%
African American 3.1%
Asian 1.8%
Other 3.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

2 / 16
Schools with AP
48 AP courses total
317.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
34.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Traverse City Area Public Schools

School Enrollment
West Senior High
1,384
Central High School
1,326
West Middle School
1,081
East Middle School
829
Central Grade School
510
Eastern Elementary School
475
Willow Hill Elementary School
429
Westwoods Elementary School
365
Long Lake Elementary School
364
Cherry Knoll Elementary School
333
Tcaps Montessori School
331
Silver Lake Elementary School
286
Traverse Heights Elem School
245
Courtade Elementary School
215
Blair Elementary School
202
Traverse City High School
171

Nearby Districts in Michigan

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Traverse City Area Public Schools?

Traverse City Area Public Schools has 16 schools, including 2 high, 12 other, 2 middle. Total enrollment is 8,712 students.

How much does Traverse City Area Public Schools spend per student?

Traverse City Area Public Schools spends $16,860 per student. The district has an equity score of 41/100, ranking #525 in Michigan.

What is the average teacher salary in Traverse City Area Public Schools?

The average teacher salary in Traverse City Area Public Schools is $60,069 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Traverse City Area Public Schools?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Grand Traverse County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Traverse City Area Public Schools?

Traverse City Area Public Schools students are 87.0% White, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 3.1% African American, 1.8% Asian, averaged across 16 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Traverse City Area Public Schools?

Traverse City Area Public Schools has an equity score of 41/100, ranking #525 out of 756 districts in Michigan. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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Full national footprint

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Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

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Federal

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