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A

Elk Rapids Schools

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 6 towns

Serves Acme Township, Whitewater Township, Elk Rapids Township, Milton Township, Elk Rapids and Torch Lake Township, and parts of Clearwater Township.

Acme Township’s School Grade A− better than 80% of Michigan school districts

Students
947
Schools
4
Spent per student
$12,921
MI $16,528
Students per teacher
18:1
Free or reduced lunch
24%
Debt
$43.8M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Elk Rapids Schools

  • Its letter, A: results better than 90% of Michigan districts
  • Math proficiency 15 pts above the state
  • Reading proficiency 20 pts above the state
  • Graduation rate 10 pts above the state
  • Spends 22% less per student than the MI average
  • 18 students per teacher
  • Enrollment down 23.4% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $43.8M, about $46,246 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

A: better than 90% of the 815 Michigan school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well above the state, 2021–22
A
GraduationFour-year graduation well above the state, class of 2023
B+
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
A−Acme Township 4,531AWhitewater Township 2,736AElk Rapids Township 2,647AMilton Township 2,485AElk Rapids 1,610A−Torch Lake Township 1,270

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Acme Township. Grade by grade →

PK–512 elementary schoolsTraverse City Area Public Schools
6–85 middle schoolsTraverse City Area Public Schools
9–123 high schoolsTraverse City Area Public Schools

Test scores vs. MI

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency49%
State average 33.6% · 570 students tested
Reading / language arts65%
State average 45.4% · 566 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)90–94%
State average 81.8% · 103 in the class

100% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$12,921 per student · 22% below MI
Spending
Classroom instruction 63%Support & administration 32%Other 5%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 76%State 20%Federal 5%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
1,237’20
1,197’21
1,222’22
1,230’23
947’24

Down 23.4% since 2020–21.

Students
White 90%Hispanic 4%American Indian/Alaska Native 3%Two or more races 1%Asian <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%Black <1%

Schools in the district

4 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Michigan’s other public schools.

Lakeland Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Elk Rapids
B+
289 students16:1
Cherryland Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Elk Rapids
A−
277 students17:1
Elk Rapids High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Elk Rapids
A
360 students20:1
Sunrise Academy
High · Grades 9–12 · Elk Rapids
21 students15:1

Left off: 1 school reporting no students for 2024–25.

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Kalkaska Public SchoolsKalkaska Township, Rapid River Township
$15,796per student
Traverse City Area Public SchoolsEast Bay Township, Union Township
$15,423per student
Bellaire Public SchoolsForest Home Township
$23,820per student
Mancelona Public SchoolsHelena Township
$16,861per student

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Michigan.