Public schools in Michigan

The NCES directory lists 3,468 public schools operating in Michigan in 2024-25; 3,326 of them reported 1,364,695 students, averaging 16.9 students per teacher, tied for 10th with Idaho of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts (the mean of its schools' ratios); Tennessee did not. Its largest district is Detroit Public Schools Community District, with 47,689 students in 2024-25.

NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23 · method

Schools3,3261,611 elementary, 489 middle, 908 high, 318 other
Students1,364,6952.8% of U.S. public-school students
Students per teacher16.9U.S. 15.3

Michigan has more students per teacher than the U.S. average

Michigan ranks 10th of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts, counting from the most students per teacher; below, it is shown with the states ranked just above and below it. The full ranking of all 51 is on the states page.

  1. Oregon17.3
  2. Alabama17.2
  3. Idaho16.9
  4. Michigan16.9
  5. North Carolina16.2
  6. Colorado15.8
  7. Alaska15.6

Eight in ten larger Michigan districts spent between $12,507 and $17,604 per student

Among the 347 Michigan districts with at least 1,000 students, one in ten spent less than $12,507 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 and one in ten spent more than $17,604; the median was $14,214. Each tick below is one district: the spread shows how far apart the state's districts are, which a statewide average hides.

Current spending per student, Michigan districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23347 values from $10,024 to $24,485; ; state median $14,214.$12,507$17,604the middle eight in ten← 3 below $10,000$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $14,214
Current spending per student, Michigan districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23347 values from $10,024 to $24,485; ; state median $14,214.$12,507$17,604the middle eight in ten← 3 below $10,000$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $14,214
Current spending per student, Michigan districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23347 values from $10,024 to $24,485; ; state median $14,214.$12,507$17,604the middle eight in ten← 3 below $10,000$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $14,214
Current spending per student, Michigan districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23347 values from $10,024 to $24,485; ; state median $14,214.$12,507$17,604the middle eight in ten← 3 below $10,000$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $14,214

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: mean of school ratios from 3 to 99, schools open that year; NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures over fall membership, districts with at least 1,000 students.

State test results, 2022-23

In 2022-23, 45.4% of the Michigan students tested met the state's reading standard and 34.5% its math standard. Michigan writes its own tests and sets its own standard, so these compare Michigan's districts and schools with each other, not with other states; each district and school page gives its own results beside these. Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 81.8% of 115,301 students.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2022-23 and four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students.

In the Michigan almanac

  1. 01Every school district

    Directory, 2024-25

  2. 02Largest schools

    Largest: Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy, 3,934 students (By 2024-25 enrollment)

  3. 03Fewest students per teacher

    Fewest: Jackson ISD Local Based Special Education Programs, 3.0 students per teacher (Schools, 2024-25)

  4. 04Highest-spending districts

    Highest: Center Line Preparatory Academy, $38,970 per student (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  5. 05Teacher salary spending by district

    Highest: Brighton Area Schools, $122,714 of salary spending per teacher (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  6. 06Chronic absenteeism

    Lowest: Michigan International Prep School, 0.1% chronically absent (EDFacts 2022-23)

  7. 07Schools by resource index

    Highest index: Avondale Gifted and Talented Education, 60 of 100 (CCD and CRDC)

  8. 08Districts by resource index

    Highest index: Jenison Public Schools, 55 of 100 on average (CCD and CRDC)

Largest districts in Michigan

  1. Detroit Public Schools Community District47,689
  2. Utica Community Schools25,143
  3. Dearborn City School District19,084
  4. Ann Arbor Public Schools16,551
  5. Plymouth-Canton Community Schools15,910
  6. Chippewa Valley Schools14,504
  7. Rochester Community School District14,496
  8. Grand Rapids Public Schools13,567

Every Michigan school district, with a find box →

Source: Largest districts: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25, students in the district's schools open that year.

Cities with the most public schools

  1. Detroit81,046 students179 schools
  2. Grand Rapids49,380 students127 schools
  3. Flint15,065 students50 schools
  4. Kalamazoo16,981 students45 schools
  5. Warren19,097 students43 schools
  6. Saginaw15,591 students43 schools
  7. Muskegon17,680 students43 schools
  8. Ann Arbor18,632 students42 schools
  9. Dearborn21,980 students41 schools
  10. Lansing15,565 students37 schools
  11. Jackson11,148 students34 schools
  12. Battle Creek13,024 students33 schools

All cities →

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: a school counts under the city in its mailing address, so a large city's count takes in suburbs that share its postal name.

Questions about Michigan's public schools

  1. How many public schools are in Michigan?
    The NCES directory lists 3,468 operating in 2024-25; 3,326 of them reported students: 1,611 elementary, 489 middle, 908 high and 318 other, enrolling 1,364,695 students (NCES Common Core of Data).
  2. What is the average student-teacher ratio in Michigan?
    16.9 students per full-time teacher in 2024-25, against 15.3 for the U.S.; the mean of school ratios for schools open that year.
  3. What is the largest school district in Michigan?
    Detroit Public Schools Community District, with 47,689 students in its schools in 2024-25 (NCES Common Core of Data).
  4. How much does Michigan spend per public-school student?
    $16,830 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, summed over its districts (NCES F-33).

Sources

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership and staff files · 2024-25

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District membership and spending · FY 2022-23

Compiled from official source data by .