Public schools in Jackson, MI
38 open public schools with an address in Jackson, operated by 10 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
38
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
11,038
38 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
16.7:1
Michigan median 16.3:1
Charter schools
4
4 magnet · 3 virtual
An overview of Jackson public schools
The federal directory lists 38 public schools in Jackson, MI: 14 elementary, 2 middle, 16 high, 6 combined or other. The 38 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 11,038 students, an average of 290 per school. The largest campus is Jackson High School (989 students), and the largest elementary school is Northwest Early Elementary School (848).
Jackson Public Schools operates the most schools here (12), and 5 regular districts have at least one Jackson campus, plus 5 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 16.7:1, similar to the statewide school median of 16.3:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 4 charter schools, 4 magnet schools, 3 virtual schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 14 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 5 of 15 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 65% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Jackson
Jackson Public Schools
Public school district
12 schools in Jackson
Jackson ISD
Specialized public school district
5 schools in Jackson
Michigan Department of Corrections
State operated agency
5 schools in Jackson · 25 total
Northwest Community Schools
Public school district
5 schools in Jackson
East Jackson Community Schools
Public school district
3 schools in Jackson
Vandercook Lake Public Schools
Public school district
3 schools in Jackson
Da Vinci Schools
Independent charter agency
2 schools in Jackson
Jackson Preparatory & Early College
Independent charter agency
1 school in Jackson
Paragon Charter Academy
Independent charter agency
1 school in Jackson
Western School District
Public school district
1 school in Jackson · 7 total
Elementary schools in Jackson
14| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cascades Elementary School Jackson Public Schools | KG–05 | 398 | 14:1 | |
| Da Vinci Schools K5 Da Vinci Schools · Charter | PK–05 | 117 | 15.8:1 | |
| Dibble Elementary School Jackson Public Schools | KG–05 | 282 | 17:1 | |
| East Jackson Elementary East Jackson Community Schools · Magnet | KG–06 | 348 | 17.9:1 | |
| Hunt Elementary School Jackson Public Schools · Magnet | KG–05 | 366 | 13.6:1 | |
| John R Lewis Elementary Jackson Public Schools | KG–05 | 140 | 13.6:1 | |
| JPS Montessori Center Jackson Public Schools · Magnet | KG–06 | 146 | 16.9:1 | |
| Local Based Special Education Early Childhood Programs Jackson ISD · Special Education School | PK–KG | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Northeast Elementary School Jackson Public Schools | KG–05 | 396 | 14.2:1 | |
| Northwest Early Elementary School Northwest Community Schools | KG–02 | 848 | 18.1:1 | |
| Northwest Elementary School Northwest Community Schools | 03–05 | 758 | 17.8:1 | |
| Paragon Charter Academy Paragon Charter Academy · Charter | PK–08 | 627 | 17.8:1 | |
| Sharp Park Academy Jackson Public Schools · Magnet | KG–05 | 337 | 17.5:1 | |
| Townsend Elementary School Vandercook Lake Public Schools | PK–05 | 316 | 18.4:1 |
Middle schools in Jackson
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle School at Parkside Jackson Public Schools | 06–08 | 750 | 14.8:1 | |
| Northwest Kidder Middle School Northwest Community Schools | 05–08 | 786 | 15.2:1 |
High schools in Jackson
16| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper Correctional Facility Michigan Department of Corrections · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Cotton Correctional Facility Michigan Department of Corrections · Alternative School | 09–12 | 12 | — | |
| East Jackson Secondary School East Jackson Community Schools | 07–12 | 359 | 18.8:1 | |
| East Jackson Virtual Academy East Jackson Community Schools · Virtual · Alternative School | 07–12 | 16 | — | |
| Egeler Correctional Facility Michigan Department of Corrections · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Jackson Area Career Center Jackson ISD · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Jackson County Jail Jackson Public Schools · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Jackson High School Jackson Public Schools | 09–12 | 989 | 17.3:1 | |
| Jackson Pathways Jackson Public Schools · Alternative School | 09–12 | 77 | 15.4:1 | |
| Jackson Preparatory Early College Jackson Preparatory & Early College · Charter | 06–12 | 260 | 19.8:1 | |
| Northwest Connect Northwest Community Schools · Alternative School | 07–12 | 157 | 16.6:1 | |
| Northwest High School Northwest Community Schools | 09–12 | 958 | 20.4:1 | |
| Parnall Correctional Facility Michigan Department of Corrections · Alternative School | 09–12 | 7 | — | |
| SAI Camp Cassidy Lake Michigan Department of Corrections · Alternative School | 12–12 | 1 | — | |
| Vandercook Lake High School Vandercook Lake Public Schools | 06–12 | 258 | 13.6:1 | |
| Woodville Community Center Western School District · Alternative School | 09–12 | 97 | 16.7:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Jackson
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Da Vinci Schools Da Vinci Schools · Charter | KG–12 | 322 | 19.8:1 | |
| Jackson ISD Local Based Special Education Programs Jackson ISD · Special Education School | PK–12 | 240 | 3:1 | |
| Lyle A Torrant Center Jackson ISD · Special Education School | PK–12 | 191 | 7.6:1 | |
| South Central Michigan Virtual Jackson Public Schools · Virtual | KG–12 | 402 | 77.3:1 | |
| Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy Vandercook Lake Public Schools · Virtual · Alternative School | 01–12 | 55 | — | |
| Youth Home Jackson ISD Jackson ISD · Alternative School | 03–12 | 22 | 8.8:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White59.3%
- Hispanic7.7%
- Black17.3%
- Asian1.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial13.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 33 Jackson schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (11,038 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Jackson
How many public schools are in Jackson, MI?
The current NCES directory lists 38 open public schools with a location address in Jackson: 14 elementary, 2 middle, 16 high, 6 combined or other. Together they reported 11,038 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Jackson?
Schools with an address in Jackson belong to 10 education agencies, led by Jackson Public Schools (12 schools), Jackson ISD (5 schools), Michigan Department of Corrections (5 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Jackson?
Jackson High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Jackson, with 989 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Jackson?
Yes. 4 of the 38 public schools in Jackson are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Da Vinci Schools, Da Vinci Schools K5, Jackson Preparatory Early College. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Jackson schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Jackson public schools is 16.7:1, similar to the Michigan school median of 16.3:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Jackson guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Michigan cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Michigan cities