Van Buren Independent School District

490 S Paw Paw St
Lawrence, MI 49064-9328
9/
10
Top 20%

Top Rankings

Van Buren Independent School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Michigan for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 2 public middle schools serving 103 students in Van Buren Independent School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public middle schools in Michigan.
Public Middle Schools in Van Buren Independent School District have an average math proficiency score of 39% (versus the Michigan public middle school average of 31%), and reading proficiency score of 52% (versus the 44% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 33% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Michigan public middle school average of 42% (majority Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (MI)
# Schools
4 Schools
1,329 Schools
# Students
156 Students
535,615 Students
# Teachers
78 Teachers
32,063 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
4:1
4:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Van Buren Independent School District, which is ranked within the top 30% of all 845 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 20% has decreased from 50% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (MI)
#125 out of 862 school districts
(Top 20%)
50%
35%
50-59%
45%
40-59%
38%
(21-22)
≤20%
81%
(2022-23)
47.5%
33.3%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.52
0.61
% American Indian
2%
1%
% Asian
n/a
4%
% Hispanic
17%
9%
% Black
9%
23%
% White
67%
58%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
5%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $370,564 is higher than the state median of $18,606. The school district revenue/student has grown by 36% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $355,340 is higher than the state median of $17,784. The school district spending/student has grown by 32% over four school years.
This School District
This State (MI)
Total Revenue
$58 MM
$25,476 MM
Spending
$55 MM
$24,351 MM
Revenue / Student
$370,564
$18,606
Spending / Student
$355,340
$17,784

Best Van Buren Independent School District Public Middle Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Bert Goens Learning Center
Special Education School
(Math: 40-59% | Reading: ≥80%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
701 S Paw Paw St
Lawrence, MI 49064
(269) 539-5032
Gr: PK-12 | 70 students Student-teacher ratio: 3:1 Minority enrollment: 41%
Rank: #22.
Maple Creek Education Center
Special Education School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
30 S Walnut St
Bangor, MI 49013
(269) 427-7961
Gr: K-12 | 33 students Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Minority enrollment: 15%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 4 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 156 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 4:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 33%
  • : ≤20% (Btm 50% in MI)
  • : Top 20%
  • : 50% (Top 20%)
  • : 50-59% (Top 20%)
  • : 40-59% (Top 30%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), MI Dept. of Education

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