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C+

Mason County Eastern District

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 10 towns

Serves Branch Township, Custer Township, Sherman Township, Sheridan Township, Free Soil Township, Eden Township, Custer, Fountain, Meade Township and Free Soil, and parts of Stronach Township and Sweetwater Township.

Branch Township’s School Grade B− better than 48% of Michigan school districts

Students
357
Schools
2
Spent per student
$17,220
MI $16,528
Students per teacher
16:1
Free or reduced lunch
75%
The gist

What stands out about Mason County Eastern District

  • Its letter, C+: results better than 36% of Michigan districts
  • Math proficiency 12 pts below the state
  • Reading proficiency 8 pts below the state
  • Graduation rate 8 pts above the state
  • 16 students per teacher
  • Enrollment down 12.3% since 2020–21
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

C+: better than 36% 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 below the state, 2021–22
C+
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
B−Branch Township 1,413B−Custer Township 1,313C+Sherman Township 1,128C+Sheridan Township 1,048Free Soil Township 841Eden Township 585Custer 300Fountain 185Meade Township 179Free Soil 148

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Branch Township. Grade by grade →

PK–62 schoolsMason County Central Schools
7–122 schoolsMason County Central Schools

Test scores vs. MI

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency20–24%
State average 33.6% · 175 students tested
Reading / language arts35–39%
State average 45.4% · 175 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)80–100%
State average 81.8% · 24 in the class · small group: the state reports a range

87% 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
$17,220 per student · 4% above MI
Spending
Classroom instruction 56%Support & administration 38%Other 5%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 38%State 42%Federal 20%

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

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

Enrollment over time
407’20
411’21
382’22
341’23
357’24

Down 12.3% since 2020–21.

Students
White 91%Hispanic 3%American Indian/Alaska Native 2%Two or more races 2%Black 1%Asian <1%

Schools in the district

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

Mason County Eastern Elem Sch
Elementary · Grades PK–6 · Custer
C+
181 students16:1
Mason County Eastern Junior HighHigh School
High · Grades 7–12 · Custer
B−
176 students17:1

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Mason County Central SchoolsAmber Township, Grant Township, Lake Township
$13,305per student
Baldwin Community SchoolsElk Township, Lake Township, Sauble Township
$28,957per student
Manistee Area SchoolsEastlake, Filer Township, Manistee
$15,150per student
Kaleva Norman Dickson School DistrictBrown Township, Elk Township, Norman Township
$15,418per 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.