William C. Abney Academy

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.

Grand Rapids, Michigan - 1 schools

An equity score of 90/100 ranks William C. Abney Academy #5 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $16,454 per pupil, William C. Abney Academy ranks #86 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

347
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$16,454
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

William C. Abney Academy operates 1 public schools serving 347 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 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 Kent County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,454 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 11.3% local, 61.9% state, and 26.7% 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 90/100, ranked #5 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.

and 75.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 89.4% African American, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% White across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is William C Abney Academy Elementary, enrolling 273 students (100% of the district's total enrollment).

William C Abney Academy Elementary accounts for 78.7% of all William C. Abney Academy student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of William C. Abney Academy a distant remainder — means William C. Abney Academy-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. 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

William C. Abney Academy has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 100.0% 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). Eligibility here is a supermajority of the population — well past the 75% concentration-grant threshold that unlocks extra funding 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

William C. Abney Academy chronic absenteeism rate is 75.5% — 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?

26.7%
Federal
61.9%
State
11.3%
Local

Funding Equity

90
Equity Score
5 / 707
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 1 schools in William C. Abney Academy.

White 0.7%
Hispanic or Latino 5.1%
African American 89.4%
Multiracial 4.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

75.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in William C. Abney Academy

School Enrollment
William C Abney Academy Elementary
Charter
273

How William C. Abney Academy Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Mid-Michigan Leadership Academy Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Three Oaks Public School Academy Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
River City Scholars Charter Academy Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Pembroke Academy Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Clare-Gladwin Regional Education Service District Similar size No spending data More locally funded

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

Compare William C. Abney Academy

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 William C. Abney Academy?

William C. Abney Academy has 1 school, including 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 347 students.

How much does William C. Abney Academy spend per student?

William C. Abney Academy spends $16,454 per student. The district has an equity score of 90/100, ranking #5 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of William C. Abney Academy?

William C. Abney Academy students are 89.4% African American, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% White, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for William C. Abney Academy?

William C. Abney Academy has an equity score of 90/100, ranking #5 out of 707 districts in Michigan.