Big Rapids School District

21034 15 Mile Rd
Big Rapids, MI 49307-8845
(District boundaries shown in map)
8/
10
Top 30%

Top Rankings

Big Rapids School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Michigan for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 4 public elementary schools serving 1,441 students in Big Rapids School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public elementary schools in Michigan.
Public Elementary Schools in Big Rapids School District have an average math proficiency score of 39% (versus the Michigan public elementary school average of 35%), and reading proficiency score of 51% (versus the 44% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 13% of the student body (majority Black and Hispanic), which is less than the Michigan public elementary school average of 38% (majority Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (MI)
# Schools
6 Schools
2,534 Schools
# Students
2,405 Students
955,941 Students
# Teachers
120 Teachers
59,685 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
20:1
20:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Big Rapids School District, which is ranked within the top 30% of all 844 school districts in Michigan (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 68% has decreased from 70-74% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (MI)
#197 out of 862 school districts
(Top 30%)
39%
35%
53%
45%
39%
38%
68%
81.8%
(2022-23)
29.1%
33.3%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.24
0.58
% American Indian
1%
1%
% Asian
n/a
4%
% Hispanic
3%
9%
% Black
3%
19%
% White
87%
61%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $13,250 in this school district is less than the state median of $18,629. The school district revenue/student has declined by 8% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $15,892 is less than the state median of $17,806. The school district spending/student has grown by 9% over four school years.
This School District
This State (MI)
Total Revenue
$32 MM
$25,476 MM
Spending
$38 MM
$24,351 MM
Revenue / Student
$13,250
$18,629
Spending / Student
$15,892
$17,806

Best Big Rapids School District Public Elementary Schools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Riverview Elementary School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 80-84%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
509 Willow Ave
Big Rapids, MI 49307
(231) 796-2550
Gr: K-4 | 346 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 11%
Rank: #22.
Brookside Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
210 Escott St
Big Rapids, MI 49307
(231) 796-8323
Gr: PK-4 | 336 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 18%
Rank: #33.
Big Rapids Middle School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
500 N Warren Ave
Big Rapids, MI 49307
(231) 796-9965
Gr: 5-8 | 644 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 12%
Rank: #44.
Big Rapids Virtual School
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: 30-39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
14980 215th Ave
Big Rapids, MI 49307
(231) 796-3489
Gr: K-12 | 115 students Student-teacher ratio: 115:1 Minority enrollment: 13%

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Quick Facts (2026-27)

  • District size: 6 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 2,405 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 20:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 13%
  • : 68% (Btm 50% in MI)
  • : Top 30%
  • : 39% (Top 30%)
  • : 53% (Top 30%)
  • : 39% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), MI Dept. of Education

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