Can I use Cass County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Cass County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Cass County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Cass County?

Start with the 23 listed public schools and 5 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Cass County Schools & Education

Name: Cass County, Michigan Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Cass County, Michigan

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

24/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

84.3%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

84.3%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 82.5%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,523

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,394

School Score

24/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 35/100

State Score Position

#62

of 83 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Cass County

Measured School Summary

Cass County faces educational challenges with a school score of 24/100 and a graduation rate of 84.3%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,523 per pupil, Cass County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 31% below the Michigan average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 1.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 12% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Cass County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

23 public schools and 5 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

24/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #62 of 83 Michigan counties with school score data.

Completion

84.3%

1.8 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,523

$871 below the state average

School coverage

5 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Cass County has 23 public schools across 5 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Cass County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Review-carefully county

Cass County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.

State position

#62

of 83 Michigan counties with school score data. The county score is 11 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Edwardsburg Public Schools

Elementary to high school visible

2,642 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 2Other 0

6 listed schools in this county slice.

Dowagiac Union School District

Elementary to high school visible

1,709 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 2Other 0

6 listed schools in this county slice.

Cassopolis Public Schools

Elementary to high school visible

864 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 2Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

Marcellus Community Schools

Elementary to high school visible

628 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 2Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Dowagiac Union School District is the largest listed district slice, with 7 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Cass County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Cass County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Cass County, Michigan

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Rural Schooling Across Five Districts

Cass County operates 23 public schools serving 6,535 students within five distinct school districts. The county features a mix of nine elementary schools and eight high schools, emphasizing a stable educational path for local families.

Academic Success with Lean Investment

Cass County maintains a strong graduation rate of 84.3%, outperforming the Michigan state average. This success comes despite a per-pupil expenditure of $6,523, which is significantly leaner than the $7,394 state and $13,000 national averages.

Spotlighting Edwardsburg and Dowagiac

Edwardsburg Public Schools and Dowagiac Union School District are the largest systems, serving 2,642 and 1,890 students respectively. There are currently no charter schools in Cass County, focusing all resources on the five traditional public districts.

A Diverse Rural and Suburban Mix

Over half of the county's schools are in rural locales, but there is also a significant suburban presence with six schools. Average school size is 284 students, providing a more intimate atmosphere than the larger neighboring counties.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Cass County

Reported Enrollment

6,535

23 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary9

Middle4

High8

Other2

5 School Districts in Cass County

Edwardsburg Public Schools

6 schools

2,642 students

Dowagiac Union School District

7 schools

1,890 students

Cassopolis Public Schools

4 schools

864 students

Marcellus Community Schools

4 schools

628 students

Heritage Southwest Intermediate School District

2 schools

101 students

23 Public Schools in Cass County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 23 matching schools

Public schools in Cass County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Edwardsburg High School	Record	Edwardsburg Public Schools	EDWARDSBURG, 49112Suburb: Large	9–12	High	815
Edwardsburg Middle School	Record	Edwardsburg Public Schools	EDWARDSBURG, 49112Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	643
HowardEllis Elementary School	Record	Niles Community Schools	NILES, 49120Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	591
Union High School	Record	Dowagiac Union School District	DOWAGIAC, 49047Town: Fringe	9–12	High	532
Dowagiac Middle School	Record	Dowagiac Union School District	DOWAGIAC, 49047Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	408
Edwardsburg Intermediate School	Record	Edwardsburg Public Schools	EDWARDSBURG, 49112Suburb: Large	4–5	Primary	404
Sam Adams Elementary School	Record	Cassopolis Public Schools	CASSOPOLIS, 49031Rural: Distant	KG–5	Primary	370
Edwardsburg Primary School	Record	Edwardsburg Public Schools	EDWARDSBURG, 49112Suburb: Large	KG–1	Primary	363
Eagle Lake Elementary School	Record	Edwardsburg Public Schools	EDWARDSBURG, 49112Suburb: Large	2–3	Primary	349
Marcellus Elementary School	Record	Marcellus Community Schools	Marcellus, 49067Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	300
Justus Gage Elementary School	Record	Dowagiac Union School District	DOWAGIAC, 49047Town: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	274
Cassopolis High School	Record	Cassopolis Public Schools	CASSOPOLIS, 49031Rural: Distant	9–12	High	271
Patrick Hamilton Elementary	Record	Dowagiac Union School District	DOWAGIAC, 49047Town: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	236
Kincheloe Elementary School	Record	Dowagiac Union School District	DOWAGIAC, 49047Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	221
Cassopolis Middle School	Record	Cassopolis Public Schools	CASSOPOLIS, 49031Rural: Distant	6–8	Middle	210
Marcellus High School	Record	Marcellus Community Schools	Marcellus, 49067Rural: Distant	9–12	High	162
Marcellus Middle School	Record	Marcellus Community Schools	MARCELLUS, 49067Rural: Distant	6–8	Middle	134
Edwardsburg Alternative Learning Center	Record	Edwardsburg Public Schools	EDWARDSBURG, 49112Suburb: Large	9–12	Alternative	68
Brookside Learning Center	Record	Heritage Southwest Intermediate School District	CASSOPOLIS, 49031Rural: Distant	PK–12	Special Education	55
North Pointe Center	Record	Heritage Southwest Intermediate School District	DOWAGIAC, 49047Town: Fringe	KG–12	Special Education	46

Edwardsburg High School

Edwardsburg Public Schools

EDWARDSBURG, 49112 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12High815 students

Edwardsburg Middle School

Edwardsburg Public Schools

EDWARDSBURG, 49112 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle643 students

HowardEllis Elementary School

Niles Community Schools

NILES, 49120 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary591 students

Union High School

Dowagiac Union School District

DOWAGIAC, 49047 / Town: Fringe

Record9–12High532 students

Dowagiac Middle School

Dowagiac Union School District

DOWAGIAC, 49047 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle408 students

Edwardsburg Intermediate School

Edwardsburg Public Schools

EDWARDSBURG, 49112 / Suburb: Large

Record4–5Primary404 students

Sam Adams Elementary School

Cassopolis Public Schools

CASSOPOLIS, 49031 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–5Primary370 students

Edwardsburg Primary School

Edwardsburg Public Schools

EDWARDSBURG, 49112 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–1Primary363 students

Eagle Lake Elementary School

Edwardsburg Public Schools

EDWARDSBURG, 49112 / Suburb: Large

Record2–3Primary349 students

Marcellus Elementary School

Marcellus Community Schools

Marcellus, 49067 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary300 students

Justus Gage Elementary School

Dowagiac Union School District

DOWAGIAC, 49047 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary274 students

Cassopolis High School

Cassopolis Public Schools

CASSOPOLIS, 49031 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High271 students

Patrick Hamilton Elementary

Dowagiac Union School District

DOWAGIAC, 49047 / Town: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary236 students

Kincheloe Elementary School

Dowagiac Union School District

DOWAGIAC, 49047 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary221 students

Cassopolis Middle School

Cassopolis Public Schools

CASSOPOLIS, 49031 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle210 students

Marcellus High School

Marcellus Community Schools

Marcellus, 49067 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High162 students

Marcellus Middle School

Marcellus Community Schools

MARCELLUS, 49067 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle134 students

Edwardsburg Alternative Learning Center

Edwardsburg Public Schools

EDWARDSBURG, 49112 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12Alternative68 students

Brookside Learning Center

Heritage Southwest Intermediate School District

CASSOPOLIS, 49031 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–12Special Education55 students

North Pointe Center

Heritage Southwest Intermediate School District

DOWAGIAC, 49047 / Town: Fringe

RecordKG–12Special Education46 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,523

State avg $7,394

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Cass County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Michigan counties have the highest graduation rates?

Alcona County (95.0%), Alger County (95.0%), and Schoolcraft County (95.0%) currently lead Michigan among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Michigan?

Across Michigan counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,394. The highest current county values are Keweenaw County ($18,000), Lake County ($10,369), and Leelanau County ($9,877). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Cass County?

Cass County has a school score of 24/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Cass County?

The high school graduation rate in Cass County is 84.3%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Cass County spend per student?

Cass County spends $6,523 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Cass County, Michigan — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Cass County, Michigan?

How do schools in Cass County perform academically?

What are the major school districts in Cass County, Michigan?

What is the school experience like in Cass County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Branch County

Michigan

0 pts

24/100

School score

Clare County

Michigan

-0 pts

24/100

School score

Gratiot County

Michigan

-1 pts

24/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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