schoolsbycounty

Delta County Schools & Education

School Score

27/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

84.8%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

84.8%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 82.5%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,745

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,394

School Score

27/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 35/100

State Score Position

#54

of 83 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Delta County

Measured School Summary

Delta County faces educational challenges with a school score of 27/100 and a graduation rate of 84.8%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,745 per pupil, Delta County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 22% below the Michigan average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.3 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 9% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Delta 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

15 public schools and 6 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

27/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #54 of 83 Michigan counties with school score data.

Completion

84.8%

2.3 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,745

$649 below the state average

School coverage

15

6 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

Delta County has 15 public schools across 6 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.

Parent decision brief

What Delta 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

Delta 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

#54

of 83 Michigan counties with school score data. The county score is 8 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.

Escanaba Area Public Schools

Elementary and high visible

2,129 students

Elementary 3Middle 0High 2Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

Gladstone Area Schools

Elementary to high school visible

1,490 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

Rapid River Public Schools

Other grade structure

278 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

Mid Peninsula School District

Other grade structure

191 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Escanaba Area Public Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 5 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 Delta County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Delta 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 Delta 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.

A Strong Educational Foundation in the U.P.

Delta County operates 15 public schools across six districts, supporting a total enrollment of 4,368 students. The system is well-balanced with five elementary schools and five high schools, ensuring students have clear pathways from early childhood through graduation. The infrastructure is entirely traditional public schools, with no charter options currently present.

Escanaba and Gladstone Anchor the County

Escanaba Area Public Schools is the largest district, serving 2,129 students across five schools. Gladstone Area Schools also plays a major role, managing four schools and 1,490 students. Together, these two districts provide the vast majority of educational services for the county's coastal communities.

Town-Based Learning with a Personal Touch

With ten schools located in town settings, Delta County offers a structured, accessible educational experience. The average school size is 312 students, though Escanaba JuniorSenior High stands out as a major regional hub with 1,100 students. This mix allows for both intimate elementary settings and a robust, high-activity secondary experience.

School Overview

Total Schools

15

in Delta County

Reported Enrollment

4,368

15 schools reporting

School Districts

6

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary5
Middle1
High5
Other4

6 School Districts in Delta County

Escanaba Area Public Schools

5 schools
2,129 students

Gladstone Area Schools

4 schools
1,490 students

Rapid River Public Schools

1 school
278 students

Mid Peninsula School District

1 school
191 students

Big Bay De Noc School District

1 school
176 students

Delta-Schoolcraft ISD

2 schools
77 students

15 Public Schools in Delta County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Level

Showing 15 of 15 matching schools

Escanaba JuniorSenior High School

Escanaba Area Public Schools

ESCANABA, 49829 / Town: Remote

Profile6–12High1,100 students

Escanaba Upper Elementary

Escanaba Area Public Schools

ESCANABA, 49829 / Town: Remote

Record3–5Primary436 students

Gladstone Area High School

Gladstone Area Schools

GLADSTONE, 49837 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High430 students

Cameron Elementary School

Gladstone Area Schools

GLADSTONE, 49837 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–2Primary378 students

James T Jones Elementary School

Gladstone Area Schools

GLADSTONE, 49837 / Town: Remote

Record3–5Primary343 students

Gladstone Area Middle School

Gladstone Area Schools

GLADSTONE, 49837 / Town: Remote

Record6–8Middle339 students

Lemmer Elementary School

Escanaba Area Public Schools

ESCANABA, 49829 / Town: Remote

Record1–2Primary283 students

TriTownship School

Rapid River Public Schools

Rapid River, 49878 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–12Other278 students

Webster Kindergarten Center

Escanaba Area Public Schools

ESCANABA, 49829 / Town: Remote

RecordKGPrimary224 students

Mid Peninsula School

Mid Peninsula School District

ROCK, 49880 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–12Other191 students

Big Bay De Noc School

Big Bay De Noc School District

COOKS, 49817 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–12Other176 students

Escanaba Student Success Center

Escanaba Area Public Schools

ESCANABA, 49829 / Town: Remote

Record8–12Alternative86 students

Learning Center

Delta-Schoolcraft ISD

ESCANABA, 49829 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–12Special Education77 students

Bay Pines Center

Michigan Department of Human Services

ESCANABA, 49829 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–12Special Education27 students

DeltaSchoolcraft Area Center

Delta-Schoolcraft ISD

Escanaba, 49829 / Town: Remote

Record10–12Vocational0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,745

State avg $7,394

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Delta 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 Delta County?
Delta County has a school score of 27/100, 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 Delta County?
The high school graduation rate in Delta County is 84.8%, 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 Delta County spend per student?
Delta County spends $6,745 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 Delta County, Michigan — FAQ

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

Delta County operates 15 public schools across six districts, supporting a total enrollment of 4,368 students. The system is well-balanced with five elementary schools and five high schools, ensuring students have clear pathways from early childhood through graduation. The infrastructure is entirely traditional public schools, with no charter options currently present.

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

Escanaba Area Public Schools is the largest district, serving 2,129 students across five schools. Gladstone Area Schools also plays a major role, managing four schools and 1,490 students. Together, these two districts provide the vast majority of educational services for the county's coastal communities.

What is the school experience like in Delta County?

With ten schools located in town settings, Delta County offers a structured, accessible educational experience. The average school size is 312 students, though Escanaba JuniorSenior High stands out as a major regional hub with 1,100 students. This mix allows for both intimate elementary settings and a robust, high-activity secondary experience.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed 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.