Traverse City Area Public Schools School District
School District · Traverse City, Michigan
Avg Rating
6.8
out of 10
Schools
16
11 elem, 2 mid, 3 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$14,840
Student-Teacher Ratio
19.4:1
Avg Rating
6.8
out of 10
Schools
16
11 elem, 2 mid, 3 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$14,840
Student-Teacher Ratio
19.4:1
Evaluating Traverse City Area Public Schools?
A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Traverse City Area Public Schools as a whole, then compare how its individual schools differ.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Tcaps Montessori School
Traverse City · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Courtade Elementary School
Traverse City · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Willow Hill Elementary School
Traverse City · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
How this district compares
Michigan rank
#149 of 533
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
+0.6
above Michigan avg
Per-pupil spending
$14,840
+$257 vs Michigan median
District size
8,655 students
Much larger than Michigan median
The short answer
Traverse City Area Public Schools ranks #149 of 533 Michigan districts by overall school rating. Traverse City Area Public Schools's schools with real test data average 6.8/10 across 16 schools. Its top-rated schools are Tcaps Montessori School (8.8/10), Courtade Elementary School (8.4/10), and Willow Hill Elementary School (7.9/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 8.4/10 despite 43% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.7 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Traverse City Area Public Schools schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Traverse City Area Public Schools
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (16 of 16). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tcaps Montessori School | 8.8 / 10 |
| 2 | Courtade Elementary School | 8.4 / 10 |
| 3 | Willow Hill Elementary School | 7.9 / 10 |
| 4 | Central Grade School | 7.8 / 10 |
| 5 | Central High School | 7.5 / 10 |
| 6 | West Senior High | 7.3 / 10 |
| 7 | West Middle School | 7.2 / 10 |
| 8 | Westwoods Elementary School | 7.2 / 10 |
| 9 | East Middle School | 7.0 / 10 |
| 10 | Eastern Elementary School | 6.7 / 10 |
See all 16 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Traverse City Area Public Schools
Traverse City Area Public Schools is a Traverse City, Michigan school district serving 16 schools. The district educates 8,655 students with a student-teacher ratio of 19.4:1. The district invests $14,840 per student annually.
With an average rating of 6.8/10, Traverse City Area Public Schools demonstrates solid academic performance.
The highest-rated school in the district is Tcaps Montessori School, which has a composite score of 8.8/10.
In standardized testing, Traverse City Area Public Schools students show an average math proficiency of 45.8% and ELA proficiency of 60.5%.
The district includes 11 elementary schools , 2 middle schools , and 3 high schools.
District Map
Schools in Traverse City Area Public Schools, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Traverse City Area Public Schools with test data.
Schools in Traverse City Area Public Schools
16 schools Elementary Schools 11
Middle Schools 2
District Details
- State
- Michigan
- City
- Traverse City
- Total Enrollment
- 8,655
- Teachers (FTE)
- 445
- Child Poverty Rate
- 0.1%
- Data Year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Traverse City Area Public Schools?
Traverse City Area Public Schools has 16 schools in total — 11 elementary, 2 middle, and 3 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Traverse City Area Public Schools?
The average composite rating for Traverse City Area Public Schools is 6.8/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the per-pupil spending in Traverse City Area Public Schools?
Traverse City Area Public Schools spends $14,840 per student per year.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Traverse City Area Public Schools?
The average student-teacher ratio in Traverse City Area Public Schools is 19.4:1.
What is the top-rated school in Traverse City Area Public Schools?
Tcaps Montessori School is the highest-rated school in Traverse City Area Public Schools with a composite score of 8.8/10.
What are the test scores in Traverse City Area Public Schools?
Across schools in Traverse City Area Public Schools with test data, the average math proficiency is 45.8% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 60.5%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Traverse City Area Public Schools compare to other districts in Michigan?
Traverse City Area Public Schools has an average school rating of 6.8/10 across 16 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Michigan by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools?
MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.
District Averages
- Overall Rating
- 6.8/10
- Math Proficiency
- 45.8%
- ELA Proficiency
- 60.5%
Resources
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateOther School Districts in MI
Compare Traverse City Area Public Schools with neighboring districts in the state.
- Detroit Public Schools Community District (106)
- Grand Rapids Public Schools (51)
- Utica Community Schools (38)
- Dearborn City School District (37)
- Ann Arbor Public Schools (32)
- Kalamazoo Public Schools (31)
- Lansing Public School District (26)
- Livonia Public Schools School District (26)
- Michigan Department of Corrections (25)
- Plymouth-canton Community Schools (25)
- Warren Consolidated Schools (23)
- Rochester Community School District (22)
- Troy School District (21)
- Chippewa Valley Schools (20)
- Walled Lake Consolidated Schools (20)
- L'anse Creuse Public Schools (19)
- Forest Hills Public Schools (18)
- Waterford School District (17)
- Wayne-westland Community School District (16)
- Farmington Public School District (16)
- Huron Valley Schools (16)
- Kentwood Public Schools (16)
- Port Huron Area School District (16)
- Saginaw School District of the City of (16)
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Michigan Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.
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