Dowagiac Union School District

243 S Front St
Dowagiac, MI 49047-1738
(District boundaries shown in map)
4/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

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

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 10%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there is 1 public preschool serving 283 students in Dowagiac Union School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public pre schools in Michigan.
Public Preschool in Dowagiac Union School District have an average math proficiency score of 32% (versus the Michigan public pre school average of 34%), and reading proficiency score of 32% (versus the 40% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 31% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Michigan public preschool average of 39% (majority Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (MI)
# Schools
7 Schools
1,089 Schools
# Students
1,854 Students
372,198 Students
# Teachers
111 Teachers
24,811 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
17:1
17:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Dowagiac Union School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 846 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 92% has increased from 75-79% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (MI)
#588 out of 862 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
22%
35%
33%
45%
34%
38%
92%
81%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.59
0.58
% American Indian
2%
1%
% Asian
n/a
3%
% Hispanic
19%
9%
% Black
7%
21%
% White
60%
61%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
12%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $15,543 in this school district is less than the state median of $18,510. The school district revenue/student has grown by 12% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $14,819 is less than the state median of $17,693. The school district spending/student has grown by 12% over four school years.
This School District
This State (MI)
Total Revenue
$29 MM
$25,476 MM
Spending
$28 MM
$24,351 MM
Revenue / Student
$15,543
$18,510
Spending / Student
$14,819
$17,693

Best Dowagiac Union School District Public Preschools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Justus Gage Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
301 Oak St
Dowagiac, MI 49047
(269) 782-4460
Gr: PK-5 | 283 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 31%

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Quick Facts (2025)

  • District size: 7 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 1,854 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 17:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 40%
  • : 92% (Top 10% in MI)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 22% (Btm 50%)
  • : 33% (Btm 50%)
  • : 34% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), MI Dept. of Education

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