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Hardy Hydroelectric PlantHardy Hydroelectric Plant · Photo: Larry Pieniazek, Lar (commons) or User:Lar (wikipedia) · CC BY-SA 3.0
C+
Schools in Big Prairie Township · White Cloud Public Schools, Newaygo Public School District

Big Prairie Township’s public schools score below 59% of Michigan districts on tests and graduation

Math proficiency in Big Prairie Township’s districts is 20%, below the Michigan average (34%). The grade covers the three public school districts serving Big Prairie Township, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Michigan, not nationally.

#569of 699 Michigan townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From Michigan state tests taken in spring 2022, when 97% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
30%
▼ 15 pts vs MI 45%
2021–22
Math proficiency
20%
▼ 14 pts vs MI 34%
2021–22
Graduate on time
90–94%
▲ 8–12 pts vs MI 82%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$15.2K
▼ 8% vs MI $16.5K
FY2024 · Newaygo Public
Students per teacher
17.3
MI 16.5 · larger classes
Schools in town
0
3,433 students on the public path
In brief

Big Prairie Township’s schools, in brief

Against towns with similar incomes

Among the 865 Michigan towns with household incomes within a quarter of Big Prairie Township’s, its schools beat 31%, lower than their 41% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Results trail the state

In spring 2022, 30% of tested students were proficient in reading and 20% in math, against 45% and 34% statewide; 97% of students in the tested grades sat the tests. The grade ↓

Graduation

90–94% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 82% across Michigan (the state reports Big Prairie Township’s rate as a range). Districts ↓

Spending and class size

White Cloud spends $13,748 per student and Newaygo Public $15,232, against $16,528 across Michigan (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Three elementary schools, then three middle and three high schools

Which school depends on the address at every step. See the path ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Big Prairie Township’s grade

C Test scoresB+ Graduation

C+: better than 41% of Michigan school districts, #569 of 699 Michigan towns. Graduation is above the Michigan average; test scores are below it.

Michigan school districts we grade (815)Better than 41%
Lower resultsHigher results
Michigan towns with similar household incomes (865)Better than 31%
Towns in Newaygo County (23)Better than 43%
CB−A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 1,836 test results and a graduating class of 135 could put Big Prairie Township anywhere from C to B−. The tests are from spring 2022, when 97% of Big Prairie Township’s students in the tested grades sat them (1,837 in math, 1,835 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Big Prairie Township, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
PK–53 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressC to C+
6–83 middle schoolsDepends on your addressD to C+
9–123 high schoolsDepends on your addressC− to B

To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Three districts serve Big Prairie Township

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

White Cloud Public SchoolsGrades K–12 · 3 schools · 908 students, down 2% since 2020–21 · 17.5 per teacher (MI 16.5)
$13,748MI $16,528 · FY2024
C
Newaygo Public School DistrictGrades PK–12 · 3 schools · 1,567 students, up 1% since 2020–21 · 17.8 per teacher (MI 16.5)
$15,232MI $16,528 · FY2024
B−
Morley Stanwood Community SchoolsGrades PK–12 · 3 schools · 958 students, down 13% since 2020–21 · 16.5 per teacher (MI 16.5)
$16,537MI $16,528 · FY2024
C+
Test scores · 2021–22

Well below the state in reading

Reading · K–12, White Cloud Public Schools28%
State average 45.4% · 481 students tested
Math · K–12, White Cloud Public Schools19%
State average 33.6% · 480 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Newaygo Public School District32%
State average 45.4% · 816 students tested
Math · PK–12, Newaygo Public School District20%
State average 33.6% · 819 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Morley Stanwood Community Schools29%
State average 45.4% · 538 students tested
Math · PK–12, Morley Stanwood Community Schools21%
State average 33.6% · 538 students tested

Big Prairie Township vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Michigan towns that share Big Prairie Township’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Big Prairie TownshipC+Newaygo Public PK–12 · Morley Stanwood PK–12 · White Cloud K–12
EverettCWhite Cloud
CrotonB−Newaygo Public PK–12 · Tri County Area Schools K–12
AetnaC+Morley Stanwood
Goodwell—White Cloud

2 of the 4 neighbors share White Cloud with Big Prairie Township for grades K–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in Big Prairie Township

9 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Michigan’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

Also serving Big Prairie Townshipin other towns
Newaygo Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Newaygo
C+
635 students18:1Rate it →
Morley Stanwood Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Morley
C
437 students16:1Rate it →
White Cloud Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · White Cloud
C
423 students16:1Rate it →
Newaygo Middle School
Middle · Grades 5–8 · Newaygo
C
472 students16:1Rate it →
Morley Stanwood Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Morley
C+
234 students16:1Rate it →
White Cloud Junior High School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · White Cloud
D
211 students15:1Rate it →
Newaygo High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Newaygo
B
460 students19:1Rate it →
Morley Stanwood High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Morley
C−
287 students18:1Rate it →
White Cloud High School
High · Grades 9–12 · White Cloud
C−
274 students23:1Rate it →

Questions about Big Prairie Township’s schools

Are Big Prairie Township’s schools good?

On Michigan’s tests they score below most of the state: the public schools Big Prairie Township children attend score below 59% of Michigan’s school districts on tests and graduation, a C+ Schools grade, #569 of 699 Michigan towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 31%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Big Prairie Township in?

White Cloud Public Schools, which runs grades K–12 and enrolls 908 students in 3 schools (2024–25).

Where do Big Prairie Township kids go to high school?

One of 3 high schools, depending on your address: Newaygo High School, Morley Stanwood High School and White Cloud High School.

What is Big Prairie Township’s graduation rate?

90–94% of the class of 2023 in Newaygo Public School District graduated in four years, against 82% across Michigan.

How much does Big Prairie Township spend per student?

$13,748 in White Cloud Public Schools, $15,232 in Newaygo Public School District and $16,537 in Morley Stanwood Community Schools (FY2024), against $16,528 across Michigan. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Big Prairie Township families are saying about school.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Big Prairie Township → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Michigan. Stars are from neighbors.