Oceana County Schools & Education
Oceana County, Michigan
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
37/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
84.6%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
84.6%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 82.5%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,504
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,394
School Score
37/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 35/100
State Score Position
#35
of 83 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Oceana County
Measured School Summary
Oceana County faces educational challenges with a school score of 37/100 and a graduation rate of 84.6%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $7,504 per pupil, Oceana County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 7% above the Michigan average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.1 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Oceana 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
9 public schools and 4 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
37/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #35 of 83 Michigan counties with school score data.
Completion
84.6%
2.1 pts above the state average
Funding context
$7,504
$110 above the state average
School coverage
9
4 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
Oceana County has 9 public schools across 4 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 Oceana 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
Oceana 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
#35
of 83 Michigan counties with school score data. The county score is 2 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.
Hart Public School District
Elementary to high school visible
1,246 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Shelby Public Schools
Elementary to high school visible
1,126 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
Walkerville Public Schools
Other grade structure
276 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Pentwater Public School District
Other grade structure
232 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
Shelby Public Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 4 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 Oceana County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Oceana 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 Oceana 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.
Focused Rural Education in Oceana
Oceana County provides for 2,880 students through 9 public schools across 4 districts. The landscape is evenly distributed with schools at the elementary, middle, and high school levels to serve local families.
Hart and Shelby Lead the County
Hart Public School District is the largest with 1,246 students, while Shelby Public Schools serves 1,126. The county relies entirely on traditional public districts, with 0% of its schools being charter-operated.
Small-Town and Rural School Settings
Students learn in a mix of rural and town environments, with an average school size of 320 students. Hart High School is the largest facility with 433 students, ensuring that even the biggest schools maintain a small-town feel.
School Overview
Total Schools
9
in Oceana County
Reported Enrollment
2,880
9 schools reporting
School Districts
4
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
4 School Districts in Oceana County
Hart Public School District
Shelby Public Schools
Walkerville Public Schools
Pentwater Public School District
9 Public Schools in Oceana 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 dataLevel
Showing 9 of 9 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hart High School | Record | Hart Public School District | HART, 49420Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 433 |
| Spitler Elementary School | Record | Hart Public School District | HART, 49420Town: Distant | KG–4 | Primary | 425 |
| Hart Middle School | Record | Hart Public School District | HART, 49420Town: Distant | 5–8 | Middle | 388 |
| Shelby High School | Record | Shelby Public Schools | SHELBY, 49455Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 376 |
| Thomas Read Elementary School | Record | Shelby Public Schools | SHELBY, 49455Rural: Distant | KG–3 | Primary | 314 |
| Shelby Middle School | Record | Shelby Public Schools | SHELBY, 49455Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 276 |
| Walkerville Public School | Record | Walkerville Public Schools | WALKERVILLE, 49459Rural: Remote | PK–12 | Other | 276 |
| Pentwater Public School | Record | Pentwater Public School District | PENTWATER, 49449Rural: Distant | PK–12 | Other | 232 |
| New Era Elementary School | Record | Shelby Public Schools | NEW ERA, 49446Rural: Distant | 4–5 | Primary | 160 |
Spitler Elementary School
Hart Public School District
HART, 49420 / Town: Distant
Thomas Read Elementary School
Shelby Public Schools
SHELBY, 49455 / Rural: Distant
Walkerville Public School
Walkerville Public Schools
WALKERVILLE, 49459 / Rural: Remote
Pentwater Public School
Pentwater Public School District
PENTWATER, 49449 / Rural: Distant
New Era Elementary School
Shelby Public Schools
NEW ERA, 49446 / Rural: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,504
State avg $7,394
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Oceana 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 Oceana County?
What is the graduation rate in Oceana County?
How much does Oceana County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Oceana County, Michigan — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Oceana County, Michigan?
Oceana County provides for 2,880 students through 9 public schools across 4 districts. The landscape is evenly distributed with schools at the elementary, middle, and high school levels to serve local families.
What are the major school districts in Oceana County, Michigan?
Hart Public School District is the largest with 1,246 students, while Shelby Public Schools serves 1,126. The county relies entirely on traditional public districts, with 0% of its schools being charter-operated.
What is the school experience like in Oceana County?
Students learn in a mix of rural and town environments, with an average school size of 320 students. Hart High School is the largest facility with 433 students, ensuring that even the biggest schools maintain a small-town feel.
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.