White Cloud 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.

White Cloud, Michigan - 3 schools

An equity score of 38/100 ranks White Cloud Public Schools #543 of 702 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,994 per pupil, White Cloud Public Schools ranks #595 of 812 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

935
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$12,994
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

White Cloud Public Schools operates 3 public schools serving 935 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle 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 Newaygo County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,994 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 29.2% local, 52.2% state, and 18.6% 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 38/100, ranked #543 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.

a 151.3:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 46.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 86.1% White, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 3.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is White Cloud Elementary School, with a diversity index of 29.4/100.

Its largest campus is White Cloud Elementary School, enrolling 423 students (47% of the district's total enrollment).

White Cloud Elementary School accounts for 45.2% of all White Cloud Public Schools student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of White Cloud Public Schools a distant remainder — means White Cloud Public Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: elementary. 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

White Cloud Public Schools school enrollment varies 2.0× across entities

White Cloud Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 211 students (lowest) to 423 students (highest), a spread of 212 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

White Cloud Public Schools reports 75.3% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is at least 75%, indicating a high concentration of measured economic need. 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

White Cloud Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 151:1 — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

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 below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

White Cloud Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 46.9% — 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?

18.6%
Federal
52.2%
State
29.2%
Local

Funding Equity

38
Equity Score
543 / 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 3 schools in White Cloud Public Schools.

White 86.1%
Hispanic or Latino 4.3%
African American 3.1%
Asian 1.0%
Multiracial 4.7%
Other 0.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 25.3/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 White Cloud Elementary School 29.4
  2. 2 White Cloud High School 24.7
  3. 3 White Cloud Junior High School 21.8

Programs & Resources

151.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
46.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in White Cloud Public Schools

School Enrollment
White Cloud Elementary School
423
White Cloud High School
274
White Cloud Junior High School
211

How White Cloud Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker Schools Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Cass City Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
North Muskegon Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Black River Public School Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Beaverton Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

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

White Cloud Public Schools has 3 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 935 students.

How much does White Cloud Public Schools spend per student?

White Cloud Public Schools spends $12,994 per student. The district has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #543 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of White Cloud Public Schools?

White Cloud Public Schools students are 86.1% White, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 3.1% African American, 1.0% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for White Cloud Public Schools?

White Cloud Public Schools has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #543 out of 702 districts in Michigan.