Grand Traverse County Schools & Education
Grand Traverse County, Michigan
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
43/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
89.9%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
89.9%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 82.5%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,962
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,394
School Score
43/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 35/100
State Score Position
#21
of 83 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Grand Traverse County
Measured School Summary
Grand Traverse County performs at an average level with a school score of 43/100 and a solid graduation rate of 89.9%.
Funding Context
At $6,962 per pupil, Grand Traverse County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 23% above the Michigan average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 7.4 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 6% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Grand Traverse 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
31 public schools and 7 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
43/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #21 of 83 Michigan counties with school score data.
Completion
89.9%
7.4 pts above the state average
Funding context
$6,962
$432 below the state average
School coverage
31
7 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Grand Traverse County has 31 public schools across 7 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.
What Grand Traverse 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.
Mixed school landscape
Grand Traverse County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.
State position
#21
of 83 Michigan counties with school score data. The county score is 8 points above 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.
Traverse City Area Public Schools
Elementary to high school visible
8,689 students
16 listed schools in this county slice.
Kingsley Area Schools
Elementary to high school visible
1,485 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Grand Traverse Academy
Other grade structure
787 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Northwest Education Services
High school only in this slice
265 students
5 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Traverse City Area Public Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 16 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 Grand Traverse County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Grand Traverse County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Grand Traverse 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.
Robust Infrastructure in Traverse City
Grand Traverse County features a well-developed system of 31 public schools serving 12,234 students across 7 districts. The landscape is diverse, including 16 elementary schools and 8 high schools to support a growing population.
Traverse City Area Public Schools
Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) dominates the region, managing 16 schools and 8,689 students. Charter schools also play a significant role, with 5 campuses like Grand Traverse Academy making up 16.1% of all schools.
Large Town Schools Meet Rural Options
The county is split between 16 town-based and 15 rural schools, with an average enrollment of 408 students. West Senior High is the largest facility with 1,509 students, offering a comprehensive high school experience.
School Overview
Total Schools
31
in Grand Traverse County
Reported Enrollment
12,234
31 schools reporting
School Districts
7
districts
Charter Schools
5
16% of total
School Level Breakdown
7 School Districts in Grand Traverse County
Traverse City Area Public Schools
GuideKingsley Area Schools
Grand Traverse Academy
Northwest Education Services
The Greenspire School
Woodland School
Old Mission Peninsula School
31 Public Schools in Grand Traverse County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 3 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 31 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Senior High | Profile | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49685Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,509 |
| Central High School | Profile | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49686Town: Remote | 8–12 | High | 1,387 |
| West Middle School | Profile | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49684Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 1,081 |
| Grand Traverse Academy | Record | Grand Traverse Academy | TRAVERSE CITY, 49686Town: Remote | PK–12 | Charter | 787 |
| East Middle School | Record | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49686Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 786 |
| Kingsley Area Elementary School | Record | Kingsley Area Schools | KINGSLEY, 49649Rural: Distant | PK–4 | Primary | 571 |
| Central Grade School | Record | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49684Town: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 516 |
| Kingsley Area High School | Record | Kingsley Area Schools | KINGSLEY, 49649Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 457 |
| Kingsley Area Middle School | Record | Kingsley Area Schools | KINGSLEY, 49649Rural: Distant | 5–8 | Middle | 457 |
| Eastern Elementary School | Record | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49686Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 454 |
| Willow Hill Elementary School | Record | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49684Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 421 |
| Westwoods Elementary School | Record | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49685Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 368 |
| Cherry Knoll Elementary School | Record | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49696Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 357 |
| Long Lake Elementary School | Record | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49685Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 352 |
| TCAPS Montessori School | Record | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49684Town: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 307 |
| Silver Lake Elementary School | Record | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49684Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 306 |
| Traverse Heights Elem School | Record | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49686Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 257 |
| Mill Creek Elementary School | Record | Elk Rapids Schools | WILLIAMSBURG, 49690Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 249 |
| Courtade Elementary School | Record | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49686Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 218 |
| Blair Elementary School | Record | Traverse City Area Public Schools | TRAVERSE CITY, 49685Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 212 |
West Senior High
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49685 / Rural: Fringe
Central High School
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49686 / Town: Remote
West Middle School
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49684 / Town: Remote
Grand Traverse Academy
Grand Traverse Academy
TRAVERSE CITY, 49686 / Town: Remote
East Middle School
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49686 / Rural: Fringe
Kingsley Area Elementary School
Kingsley Area Schools
KINGSLEY, 49649 / Rural: Distant
Central Grade School
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49684 / Town: Remote
Kingsley Area High School
Kingsley Area Schools
KINGSLEY, 49649 / Rural: Distant
Kingsley Area Middle School
Kingsley Area Schools
KINGSLEY, 49649 / Rural: Distant
Eastern Elementary School
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49686 / Town: Remote
Willow Hill Elementary School
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49684 / Town: Remote
Westwoods Elementary School
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49685 / Rural: Distant
Cherry Knoll Elementary School
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49696 / Rural: Fringe
Long Lake Elementary School
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49685 / Rural: Fringe
TCAPS Montessori School
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49684 / Town: Remote
Silver Lake Elementary School
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49684 / Town: Remote
Traverse Heights Elem School
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49686 / Town: Remote
Mill Creek Elementary School
Elk Rapids Schools
WILLIAMSBURG, 49690 / Rural: Distant
Courtade Elementary School
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49686 / Rural: Fringe
Blair Elementary School
Traverse City Area Public Schools
TRAVERSE CITY, 49685 / Rural: Fringe
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,962
State avg $7,394
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Grand Traverse County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Michigan counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Michigan?
How should I read the school score in Grand Traverse County?
What is the graduation rate in Grand Traverse County?
How much does Grand Traverse County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Grand Traverse County, Michigan — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Grand Traverse County, Michigan?
Grand Traverse County features a well-developed system of 31 public schools serving 12,234 students across 7 districts. The landscape is diverse, including 16 elementary schools and 8 high schools to support a growing population.
What are the major school districts in Grand Traverse County, Michigan?
Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) dominates the region, managing 16 schools and 8,689 students. Charter schools also play a significant role, with 5 campuses like Grand Traverse Academy making up 16.1% of all schools.
What is the school experience like in Grand Traverse County?
The county is split between 16 town-based and 15 rural schools, with an average enrollment of 408 students. West Senior High is the largest facility with 1,509 students, offering a comprehensive high school experience.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.