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 2 public high schools serving 870 students in Big Rapids School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public high schools in Michigan.
Public High Schools in Big Rapids School District have an average math proficiency score of 28% (versus the Michigan public high school average of 30%), and reading proficiency score of 51% (versus the 48% statewide average).
Public High School in Big Rapids School District have a Graduation Rate of 68%, which is less than the Michigan average of 82%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Big Rapids High School, with 85-89% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in Michigan or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 11% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the Michigan public high school average of 36% (majority Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (MI)
# Schools
6 Schools
1,314 Schools
# Students
2,405 Students
527,371 Students
# Teachers
120 Teachers
30,793 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
0.56
% American Indian
1%
1%
% Asian
n/a
3%
% Hispanic
3%
9%
% Black
3%
18%
% White
87%
64%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
5%
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 High Schools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Big Rapids High School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
21175 15 Mile Rd
Big Rapids, MI 49307
(231) 796-7651
Gr: 9-12 | 755 students Student-teacher ratio: 20:1 Minority enrollment: 11%
Rank: #22.
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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