West Ottawa 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.

Holland, Michigan - 13 schools

An equity score of 49/100 ranks West Ottawa Public School District #356 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,507 per pupil, West Ottawa Public School District ranks #280 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

6,590
Total Enrollment
13
Schools
$13,507
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

West Ottawa Public School District operates 13 public schools serving 6,590 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 8 combined, 2 high, 2 middle, 1 elementary schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Ottawa County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,507 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 38.2% local, 51.2% state, and 10.6% 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 49/100, ranked #356 of 707 in Michigan against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 13 schools offering Advanced Placement (21 AP courses district-wide), a 510.6:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 44.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 44.2% Hispanic or Latino, 40.6% White, 4.7% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Harbor Lights Middle School, with a diversity index of 64.7/100.

Its largest campus is West Ottawa High School Campus, enrolling 2,187 students (33% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is West Ottawa Virtual Academy, at 40 students, a 55x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

West Ottawa High School Campus accounts for 32.5% of all West Ottawa Public School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means West Ottawa 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

West Ottawa Public School District school enrollment varies 55× across entities

West Ottawa Public School District school enrollment ranges from 40 students (lowest) to 2,187 students (highest), a spread of 2,147 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity, the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. 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

West Ottawa Public School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 52.0% 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). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. 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

West Ottawa Public School District student-counselor ratio is 511:1 — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

West Ottawa Public School District chronic absenteeism rate is 44.8% — 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?

10.6%
Federal
51.2%
State
38.2%
Local

Funding Equity

49
Equity Score
356 / 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 13 schools in West Ottawa Public School District.

White 40.6%
Hispanic or Latino 44.2%
African American 3.6%
Asian 4.7%
Multiracial 6.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 57.3/100

Average Simpson diversity index across West Ottawa Public School District's schools, above the Michigan average of 36.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Harbor Lights Middle School 64.7
  2. 2 West Ottawa High School Campus 63.7
  3. 3 North Holland Elementary School 63.4
  4. 4 Great Lakes Elementary School 63.2
  5. 5 Macatawa Bay Middle School 61.9

Programs & Resources

1 / 13
Schools with AP
21 AP courses total
510.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
44.8%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in West Ottawa Public School District

School Enrollment
West Ottawa High School Campus
2,187
Harbor Lights Middle School
903
Macatawa Bay Middle School
632
Waukazoo Elementary School
466
Lakeshore Elementary School
440
Woodside Elementary School
431
Great Lakes Elementary School
426
Pine Creek Elementary School
418
Lakewood Elementary School
293
North Holland Elementary School
267
Sheldon Woods Elementary School
145
Dunes Alternative High School
81
West Ottawa Virtual Academy
40

How West Ottawa Public School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Novi Community School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Grosse Pointe Public Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Bay City School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Hudsonville Public School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Lake Orion Community Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to West Ottawa 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

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare West Ottawa 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 West Ottawa Public School District?

West Ottawa Public School District has 13 schools, including 2 high, 2 middle, 8 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 6,590 students.

How much does West Ottawa Public School District spend per student?

West Ottawa Public School District spends $13,507 per student. The district has an equity score of 49/100, ranking #356 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of West Ottawa Public School District?

West Ottawa Public School District students are 44.2% Hispanic or Latino, 40.6% White, 4.7% Asian, 3.6% African American, averaged across 13 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for West Ottawa Public School District?

West Ottawa Public School District has an equity score of 49/100, ranking #356 out of 707 districts in Michigan.