Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Summit Township

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
C−

Vandercook Lake Public Schools

Public school districtGrades PK–12

Summit Township’s School Grade C better than 27% of Michigan school districts

Students
629
Schools
3
Spent per student
$15,948
MI $16,528
Students per teacher
16:1
Free or reduced lunch
80%
Debt
$2.7M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Vandercook Lake Public Schools

  • Its letter, C−: results better than 24% of Michigan districts
  • Math proficiency 18 pts below the state
  • Reading proficiency 23 pts below the state
  • Graduation rate 7 pts below the state
  • 16 students per teacher
  • Enrollment down 22.2% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $2.7M, about $4,296 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

C−: better than 24% 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−
GraduationFour-year graduation well below the state, class of 2023
C−

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Summit Township. Grade by grade →

K–52 elementary schoolsJackson Public Schools
6–8Middle School at ParksideJackson Public Schools
9–12Jackson High SchoolJackson Public Schools

Test scores vs. MI

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency16%
State average 33.6% · 369 students tested
Reading / language arts22%
State average 45.4% · 368 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)70–79%
State average 81.8% · 58 in the class

97% 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
$15,948 per student · 4% below MI
Spending
Classroom instruction 62%Support & administration 32%Other 6%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 19%State 72%Federal 9%

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

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

Enrollment over time
809’20
755’21
700’22
698’23
629’24

Down 22.2% since 2020–21.

Students
White 75%Two or more races 13%Hispanic 6%Black 5%Asian <1%

Schools in the district

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

Townsend Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–6 · Jackson
C−
316 students18:1
Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy
Other · Grades 1–12 · Jackson
55 students
Vandercook Lake High School
High · Grades 7–12 · Jackson
C−
258 students14:1

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Columbia School DistrictLiberty Township
$14,941per student
Concord Community SchoolsSpring Arbor Township
$16,380per student
East Jackson Community SchoolsLeoni Township
$16,155per student
Hanover-Horton SchoolsLiberty Township
$13,890per 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.