School District
Sparta Area Schools
Sparta Area Schools is a school district in Kent County, Michigan. In 2025, primary homes here pay a total of 28.83–40.83 mills in property tax, depending on the city or township; rentals, second homes and businesses pay 46.83–58.83 mills. It levied property tax in 5 tax areas in 2025. In the 2024–25 school year it reported $40.1 million in general fund spending, or $16,941 per pupil.
Total property tax rate, primary homes
28.83–40.83
mills in 2025 · 5 tax areas · about $4,690–$6,642 a year on a median home (estimate)
Total property tax rate, rentals, second homes and businesses
46.83–58.83
mills in 2025 · includes the school operating tax
Levies, 2025
3
in 5 tax areas
Total property tax rates here, 2025
What property pays to every taxing body (the State, county, schools, local government and others), by tax area. A mill is $1 of tax per $1,000 of taxable value.
Compare with every tax area in Kent County →
| City or township | Primary homes mills | Median home est. yearly tax | Rentals, second homes and businesses mills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Village of Sparta (Sparta Township) | 40.8259 | $6,642 | 58.8259 |
| Alpine Township | 33.0684 | $5,380 | 51.0684 |
| Tyrone Township | 31.1218 | $5,064 | 49.1218 |
| Algoma Township | 30.8963 | $5,027 | 48.8963 |
| Sparta Township | 28.8259 | $4,690 | 46.8259 |
Rates differ across Sparta Area Schools because it covers parts of 5 local governments, each with its own levies: Algoma Township, Alpine Township, Sparta Township, Tyrone Township and the Village of Sparta.
Kent County's certified rates split each area's total between a summer and a winter tax bill; open an area below to see its split.
Primary homes, which their owners live in, pay the homestead rate; so do qualified farmland and a few other kinds of property exempt from the school operating tax. Rentals, second homes and most businesses pay the non-homestead rate, which includes it. What these terms mean
Median home, estimated: the yearly tax a new buyer would pay on a primary home at Kent County's median value, $325,400 (Census Bureau, 2024): half the value times the mills, divided by 1,000. An estimate, not a bill. How the estimate works
Every levy, by tax area
Village of Sparta (Sparta Township) · 40.8259 primary homes, 58.8259 other
Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 33.1663, winter 7.6596; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 42.1663, winter 16.6596.
| Levy | Levied by | Primary homes mills | Median home est. yearly tax | Rentals, second homes and businesses mills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allocated or Charter Operating | Village of Sparta | 12.0000 | $1,952 | 12.0000 |
| School Debt | Sparta Area Schools | 7.0000 | $1,139 | 7.0000 |
| State Education Tax | State of Michigan | 6.0000 | $976 | 6.0000 |
| ISD Voted Special Education | Kent ISD | 4.3364 | $706 | 4.3364 |
| County Allocated Operating | Kent County | 4.0605 | $661 | 4.0605 |
| Community College | Grand Rapids Community College | 1.6793 | $273 | 1.6793 |
| Building and Site | Sparta Area Schools | 1.1500 | $187 | 1.1500 |
| Allocated or Charter Operating | Sparta Township | 0.9376 | $153 | 0.9376 |
| ISD Voted Vocational Education | Kent ISD | 0.9310 | $151 | 0.9310 |
| Jail | Kent County | 0.7417 | $121 | 0.7417 |
| Voted Operating | Sparta Township | 0.7038 | $115 | 0.7038 |
| Senior Citizens | Kent County | 0.4914 | $80 | 0.4914 |
| Zoo and Museum | Kent County | 0.4134 | $67 | 0.4134 |
| Ready by Five | Kent County | 0.2476 | $40 | 0.2476 |
| ISD Allocated Operating | Kent ISD | 0.0841 | $14 | 0.0841 |
| Veterans | Kent County | 0.0491 | $8 | 0.0491 |
| School Operating (Non-Homestead) | Sparta Area Schools | 0.0000 | $0 | 18.0000 |
Alpine Township · 33.0684 primary homes, 51.0684 other
Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 21.1663, winter 11.9021; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 30.1663, winter 20.9021.
| Levy | Levied by | Primary homes mills | Median home est. yearly tax | Rentals, second homes and businesses mills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Debt | Sparta Area Schools | 7.0000 | $1,139 | 7.0000 |
| State Education Tax | State of Michigan | 6.0000 | $976 | 6.0000 |
| ISD Voted Special Education | Kent ISD | 4.3364 | $706 | 4.3364 |
| County Allocated Operating | Kent County | 4.0605 | $661 | 4.0605 |
| Voted Operating | Alpine Township | 3.8843 | $632 | 3.8843 |
| Community College | Grand Rapids Community College | 1.6793 | $273 | 1.6793 |
| Building and Site | Sparta Area Schools | 1.1500 | $187 | 1.1500 |
| Library | Kent District Library | 1.0832 | $176 | 1.0832 |
| ISD Voted Vocational Education | Kent ISD | 0.9310 | $151 | 0.9310 |
| Allocated or Charter Operating | Alpine Township | 0.9164 | $149 | 0.9164 |
| Jail | Kent County | 0.7417 | $121 | 0.7417 |
| Senior Citizens | Kent County | 0.4914 | $80 | 0.4914 |
| Zoo and Museum | Kent County | 0.4134 | $67 | 0.4134 |
| Ready by Five | Kent County | 0.2476 | $40 | 0.2476 |
| ISD Allocated Operating | Kent ISD | 0.0841 | $14 | 0.0841 |
| Veterans | Kent County | 0.0491 | $8 | 0.0491 |
| School Operating (Non-Homestead) | Sparta Area Schools | 0.0000 | $0 | 18.0000 |
Tyrone Township · 31.1218 primary homes, 49.1218 other
Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 21.1663, winter 9.9555; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 30.1663, winter 18.9555.
| Levy | Levied by | Primary homes mills | Median home est. yearly tax | Rentals, second homes and businesses mills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Debt | Sparta Area Schools | 7.0000 | $1,139 | 7.0000 |
| State Education Tax | State of Michigan | 6.0000 | $976 | 6.0000 |
| ISD Voted Special Education | Kent ISD | 4.3364 | $706 | 4.3364 |
| County Allocated Operating | Kent County | 4.0605 | $661 | 4.0605 |
| Voted Operating | Tyrone Township | 1.9237 | $313 | 1.9237 |
| Community College | Grand Rapids Community College | 1.6793 | $273 | 1.6793 |
| Building and Site | Sparta Area Schools | 1.1500 | $187 | 1.1500 |
| Library | Kent District Library | 1.0832 | $176 | 1.0832 |
| ISD Voted Vocational Education | Kent ISD | 0.9310 | $151 | 0.9310 |
| Allocated or Charter Operating | Tyrone Township | 0.9304 | $151 | 0.9304 |
| Jail | Kent County | 0.7417 | $121 | 0.7417 |
| Senior Citizens | Kent County | 0.4914 | $80 | 0.4914 |
| Zoo and Museum | Kent County | 0.4134 | $67 | 0.4134 |
| Ready by Five | Kent County | 0.2476 | $40 | 0.2476 |
| ISD Allocated Operating | Kent ISD | 0.0841 | $14 | 0.0841 |
| Veterans | Kent County | 0.0491 | $8 | 0.0491 |
| School Operating (Non-Homestead) | Sparta Area Schools | 0.0000 | $0 | 18.0000 |
Algoma Township · 30.8963 primary homes, 48.8963 other
Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 21.1663, winter 9.7300; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 30.1663, winter 18.7300.
| Levy | Levied by | Primary homes mills | Median home est. yearly tax | Rentals, second homes and businesses mills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Debt | Sparta Area Schools | 7.0000 | $1,139 | 7.0000 |
| State Education Tax | State of Michigan | 6.0000 | $976 | 6.0000 |
| ISD Voted Special Education | Kent ISD | 4.3364 | $706 | 4.3364 |
| County Allocated Operating | Kent County | 4.0605 | $661 | 4.0605 |
| Voted Operating | Algoma Township | 1.9116 | $311 | 1.9116 |
| Community College | Grand Rapids Community College | 1.6793 | $273 | 1.6793 |
| Building and Site | Sparta Area Schools | 1.1500 | $187 | 1.1500 |
| Library | Kent District Library | 1.0832 | $176 | 1.0832 |
| ISD Voted Vocational Education | Kent ISD | 0.9310 | $151 | 0.9310 |
| Jail | Kent County | 0.7417 | $121 | 0.7417 |
| Allocated or Charter Operating | Algoma Township | 0.7170 | $117 | 0.7170 |
| Senior Citizens | Kent County | 0.4914 | $80 | 0.4914 |
| Zoo and Museum | Kent County | 0.4134 | $67 | 0.4134 |
| Ready by Five | Kent County | 0.2476 | $40 | 0.2476 |
| ISD Allocated Operating | Kent ISD | 0.0841 | $14 | 0.0841 |
| Veterans | Kent County | 0.0491 | $8 | 0.0491 |
| School Operating (Non-Homestead) | Sparta Area Schools | 0.0000 | $0 | 18.0000 |
Sparta Township · 28.8259 primary homes, 46.8259 other
Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 21.1663, winter 7.6596; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 30.1663, winter 16.6596.
| Levy | Levied by | Primary homes mills | Median home est. yearly tax | Rentals, second homes and businesses mills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Debt | Sparta Area Schools | 7.0000 | $1,139 | 7.0000 |
| State Education Tax | State of Michigan | 6.0000 | $976 | 6.0000 |
| ISD Voted Special Education | Kent ISD | 4.3364 | $706 | 4.3364 |
| County Allocated Operating | Kent County | 4.0605 | $661 | 4.0605 |
| Community College | Grand Rapids Community College | 1.6793 | $273 | 1.6793 |
| Building and Site | Sparta Area Schools | 1.1500 | $187 | 1.1500 |
| Allocated or Charter Operating | Sparta Township | 0.9376 | $153 | 0.9376 |
| ISD Voted Vocational Education | Kent ISD | 0.9310 | $151 | 0.9310 |
| Jail | Kent County | 0.7417 | $121 | 0.7417 |
| Voted Operating | Sparta Township | 0.7038 | $115 | 0.7038 |
| Senior Citizens | Kent County | 0.4914 | $80 | 0.4914 |
| Zoo and Museum | Kent County | 0.4134 | $67 | 0.4134 |
| Ready by Five | Kent County | 0.2476 | $40 | 0.2476 |
| ISD Allocated Operating | Kent ISD | 0.0841 | $14 | 0.0841 |
| Veterans | Kent County | 0.0491 | $8 | 0.0491 |
| School Operating (Non-Homestead) | Sparta Area Schools | 0.0000 | $0 | 18.0000 |
Where the property tax goes here
Each tax area's total for primary homes, split by who levies it.
Of the $4,690–$6,642 a year a new buyer of a median primary home here would pay (an estimate), about $1,326 goes to Sparta Area Schools (20–28%). The rest goes to the other bodies that levy here: the State, the county, the schools and others.
Sparta Area Schools's 5 tax areas rank between 12th and 76th highest of Kent County's 94 for primary homes. See every area
- State
- County
- ISD and college
- School district
- City, township or village
- Library, transit and other
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Village of Sparta Sparta Area Schools 40.8259 mills $6,642
Village of Sparta with Sparta Area Schools: 40.8259 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 8.1500, City, township or village 13.6414), estimated $6,642 a year for a new buyer
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Alpine Township Sparta Area Schools 33.0684 mills $5,380
Alpine Township with Sparta Area Schools: 33.0684 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 8.1500, City, township or village 4.8007, Library, transit and other 1.0832), estimated $5,380 a year for a new buyer
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Tyrone Township Sparta Area Schools 31.1218 mills $5,064
Tyrone Township with Sparta Area Schools: 31.1218 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 8.1500, City, township or village 2.8541, Library, transit and other 1.0832), estimated $5,064 a year for a new buyer
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Algoma Township Sparta Area Schools 30.8963 mills $5,027
Algoma Township with Sparta Area Schools: 30.8963 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 8.1500, City, township or village 2.6286, Library, transit and other 1.0832), estimated $5,027 a year for a new buyer
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Sparta Township Sparta Area Schools 28.8259 mills $4,690
Sparta Township with Sparta Area Schools: 28.8259 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 8.1500, City, township or village 1.6414), estimated $4,690 a year for a new buyer
The figures as a table
| Tax area | State | County | ISD and college | School district | City, township or village | Library, transit and other | Total | Estimated tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Village of Sparta, Sparta Area Schools | 6.0000 | 6.0037 | 7.0308 | 8.1500 | 13.6414 | 0.0000 | 40.8259 | $6,642 |
| Alpine Township, Sparta Area Schools | 6.0000 | 6.0037 | 7.0308 | 8.1500 | 4.8007 | 1.0832 | 33.0684 | $5,380 |
| Tyrone Township, Sparta Area Schools | 6.0000 | 6.0037 | 7.0308 | 8.1500 | 2.8541 | 1.0832 | 31.1218 | $5,064 |
| Algoma Township, Sparta Area Schools | 6.0000 | 6.0037 | 7.0308 | 8.1500 | 2.6286 | 1.0832 | 30.8963 | $5,027 |
| Sparta Township, Sparta Area Schools | 6.0000 | 6.0037 | 7.0308 | 8.1500 | 1.6414 | 0.0000 | 28.8259 | $4,690 |
Median home, estimated: the yearly tax a new buyer would pay on a primary home at Kent County's median value, $325,400 (Census Bureau, 2024): half the value times the mills, divided by 1,000. An estimate, not a bill. How the estimate works
What Sparta Area Schools levies, 2025
Only its own millages, part of the totals above, and how many tax areas each is levied in.
| Levy | Primary homes mills | Median home est. yearly tax | Rentals, second homes and businesses mills | Tax areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Debt | 7.0000 | $1,139 | 7.0000 | 5 |
| Building and Site | 1.1500 | $187 | 1.1500 | 5 |
| School Operating (Non-Homestead) | 0.0000 | $0 | 18.0000 | 5 |
Median home, estimated: the yearly tax a new buyer would pay on a primary home at Kent County's median value, $325,400 (Census Bureau, 2024): half the value times the mills, divided by 1,000. An estimate, not a bill. How the estimate works
School finances, 2024–25 school year
General fund figures, as published by the Michigan Department of Education.
Pupils
2,369
full-time equivalent
General fund spending
$40.1M
the main operating fund
Spending per pupil
$16,941
general fund
Average teacher salary
$76,139
120 teachers (full-time equivalent)
Spending
| Item | Total | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
| Basic instruction | $18,819,558 | $7,945 |
| Added needs instruction | $5,009,513 | $2,115 |
| Adult education instruction | $977,321 | |
| Total instruction | $24,806,392 | $10,472 |
| Instructional staff support | $4,404,200 | $1,859 |
| Administration | $3,891,414 | $1,643 |
| Operations and maintenance | $3,435,373 | $1,450 |
| Transportation | $2,244,301 | $947 |
| Total support services | $13,975,287 | $5,900 |
| Current operating spending | $38,781,679 | $16,372 |
| Facilities acquisition | $0 | $0 |
| Total general fund spending | $40,130,018 | $16,941 |
Revenue
| Item | Total | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
| Local | $7,381,989 | $3,116 |
| State | $30,895,113 | $13,043 |
| Federal | $1,713,593 | $723 |
| Total general fund revenue | $40,045,359 | $16,905 |
Salaries
| Item | Total | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
| Instructional salaries | $22,145,760 | $9,349 |
| Support service salaries | $7,330,552 | $3,095 |
| Teacher salaries, basic instruction | $9,130,586 |
Taxable value in the district
| Item | Total | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
| Primary homes (homestead) | $540,157,514 | $228,031 |
| Rentals, second homes and businesses (non-homestead) | $152,756,454 | $64,487 |
Every figure, including each per-pupil figure, is the publisher's own. Total instruction is the three instruction lines above it, and current operating spending is total instruction plus total support services. Total support services and total revenue can also include amounts the bulletin does not list separately. Adult education and teacher salaries have no per-pupil figure here, because the bulletin does not divide them by the pupil count. Pupils per teacher: 20.
Source: Bulletin 1014: Michigan Public Schools Ranked by Select Financial Information, data export, Michigan Department of Education, retrieved September 26, 2026.
Transparency checks
What this body files with the State and posts online, checked against the law and good practice.
Grade pending
A grade appears once every check below has been read and the site has set its grading scale. Every check counts the same.
Required by law
10 found · 0 not found
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Found: Audit for the latest fiscal year filed (posted on its website)
Posts its audit for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025: "2024-2025 Audited Financial Statements" (its transparency report on Munetrix). Posted on the district's site, which the publisher's rule of 2026-09-27 counts as filed: MDE's receipt dates are not public.
MCL 388.1618 · FY2025 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Audit for the latest fiscal year filed (posted on its website)
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Found: FOIA procedures and written public summary posted
The FOIA Information page links two versions of the district's procedures and guidelines (17 and 19 pages). Opened in the browser: both open with part I, "Written Public Summary".
MCL 15.234(4) · Read October 3, 2026 on its website · Evidence for FOIA procedures and written public summary posted
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Found: Transparency page: operating budget and budget revisions
2026-2027 Budget, with the 2025-26 final budget.
MCL 388.1618(2)(a) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Transparency page: operating budget and budget revisions
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Found: Transparency page: personnel cost and spending-by-function charts
2024-2025 General Fund Personnel Expenditures and "2024-2025 General Fund Operating Expenditures".
MCL 388.1618(2)(b) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Transparency page: personnel cost and spending-by-function charts
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Found: Transparency page: labor agreements, health plans, audit, benefit bids, policies and check register
The SEA (2026-2028) and SESPA (2025-2027) contracts; BCBS plans effective January 1, 2026; the statement "Our district participates with the Western Michigan Health Insurance Pool" under Medical Benefit Plan Bids; the 2024-2025 audited financial statements; the procurement policy and expense reimbursement policy; check registers through 2025-2026.
MCL 388.1618(2)(c) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Transparency page: labor agreements, health plans, audit, benefit bids, policies and check register
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Found: Transparency page: superintendent's pay, and pay of everyone paid over $100,000
Employee Compensation Information.
MCL 388.1618(2)(d) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Transparency page: superintendent's pay, and pay of everyone paid over $100,000
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Found: Transparency page: association dues
2025-2026 District Paid Association Dues.
MCL 388.1618(2)(e) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Transparency page: association dues
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Found: Transparency page: lobbying spending
States "The district did not incur any District Paid Lobbying Costs for the fiscal year ending June 2026."
MCL 388.1618(2)(f) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Transparency page: lobbying spending
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Found: Transparency page: district credit cards
Sparta Area Schools Purchase Card Inventory.
MCL 388.1618(2)(h) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Transparency page: district credit cards
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Found: Transparency page: administrators' out-of-state trips
States "2026 There was no district paid out of state travel."
MCL 388.1618(2)(i) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Transparency page: administrators' out-of-state trips
Good practice
0 found · 0 not found · 11 not read yet
11 checks not read yet
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Current budget posted
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Budgets for the past three years posted
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Latest audit posted
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Budget posted as a spreadsheet or data file
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Regular meeting schedule for the year posted
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Agendas posted for the past 12 months
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Minutes posted for the past 12 months
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Members' names and a way to contact them posted
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Check register (payments) posted
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Employee pay or salary schedule posted
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Current contracts posted
About
- Type
- School District
- County
- Kent County
- Website
- spartaschools.org
Codes
- Census of Governments ID
- 203276
- Census GEOID (school district)
- 2632370
- Michigan CEPI code
- 41240
- Michigan Treasury unit code
- 414240
- NCES district ID
- 2632370
Sources
Where this page's facts come from.
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Educational Entity Master public data set: ISD, LEA and PSA districts and colleges
Michigan Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) · 2026-09-24 export
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Government Units List, 2026
U.S. Census Bureau · 2026
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TIGER/Line Shapefiles 2025: Michigan unified school districts
U.S. Census Bureau · 2025
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Treasury Document Search, Kent County local units
Michigan Department of Treasury, Local Audit and Finance Division · queried 2026-09-24
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2025 Certified Property Tax Rates
Kent County Equalization Department · 2025
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Bulletin 1014: Michigan Public Schools Ranked by Select Financial Information, data export
Michigan Department of Education · 2024-25 (Last-Modified 2026-08-13)
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School district audits posted (L6), Kent County
Open Government Project · read 2026-09-27
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FOIA documents (W1) and retirement report information (W7), Kent County bodies other than general-purpose governments
Open Government Project · read 2026-10-03
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School transparency pages (W2), Kent County
Open Government Project · read 2026-09-27