Public schools in Pontiac, MI
18 open public schools with an address in Pontiac, operated by 8 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
18
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
5,981
16 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
17:1
Michigan median 16.3:1
Charter schools
6
0 virtual
An overview of Pontiac public schools
The federal directory lists 18 public schools in Pontiac, MI: 7 elementary, 1 middle, 6 high, 4 combined or other. The 16 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 5,981 students, an average of 374 per school. The largest campus is Pontiac High School (992 students), and the largest elementary school is Walton Charter Academy (763).
Pontiac City School District operates the most schools here (10), and 2 regular districts have at least one Pontiac campus, plus 6 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 17:1, 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 6 charter schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 6 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 0 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 4 of 7 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 78% 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 Pontiac
Pontiac City School District
Public school district
10 schools in Pontiac · 11 total
Pontiac Academy for Excellence
Independent charter agency
2 schools in Pontiac
Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac
Independent charter agency
1 school in Pontiac
Great Lakes Academy
Independent charter agency
1 school in Pontiac
Learn4Life Pontiac
Independent charter agency
1 school in Pontiac
Oakland Schools
Specialized public school district
1 school in Pontiac · 6 total
Walton Charter Academy
Independent charter agency
1 school in Pontiac
Waterford School District
Public school district
1 school in Pontiac · 17 total
Elementary schools in Pontiac
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcott School Pontiac City School District | KG–05 | 334 | 23.2:1 | |
| Great Lakes Academy Great Lakes Academy · Charter | KG–08 | 162 | 12.5:1 | |
| Herrington School Pontiac City School District | KG–06 | 319 | 20.4:1 | |
| Owen Elementary School Pontiac City School District | KG–06 | 383 | 22:1 | |
| Pontiac Academy for Excellence Elementary Pontiac Academy for Excellence · Charter | KG–05 | — | — | |
| Walton Charter Academy Walton Charter Academy · Charter | KG–08 | 763 | 17.5:1 | |
| Whitman Elementary School Pontiac City School District | KG–05 | 611 | 11.9:1 |
Middle schools in Pontiac
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontiac Middle School Pontiac City School District | 06–08 | 790 | 19.9:1 |
High schools in Pontiac
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethune Adult Education Pontiac City School District | 12–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Learn4Life Pontiac Learn4Life Pontiac · Charter · Alternative School | 09–12 | 104 | 16.7:1 | |
| Oakland Schools Technical CampusNE Oakland Schools · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Pontiac Academy for Excellence MiddleHigh Pontiac Academy for Excellence · Charter | 06–12 | 553 | 18:1 | |
| Pontiac Academy for Student Success Pontiac City School District · Alternative School | 09–12 | 7 | 7.8:1 | |
| Pontiac High School Pontiac City School District | 09–12 | 992 | 17.2:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Pontiac
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac · Charter | PK–12 | 850 | 24.4:1 | |
| Childrens Village School Waterford School District | KG–12 | 56 | 4:1 | |
| International Technology Academy WHRC Pontiac City School District | KG–12 | — | — | |
| Kennedy Center Pontiac City School District · Special Education School | PK–12 | 57 | 6.6:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White3.8%
- Hispanic40.5%
- Black49.2%
- Asian1.8%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial4.3%
Enrollment-weighted across 14 Pontiac schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (5,981 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Pontiac
How many public schools are in Pontiac, MI?
The current NCES directory lists 18 open public schools with a location address in Pontiac: 7 elementary, 1 middle, 6 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 5,981 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Pontiac?
Schools with an address in Pontiac belong to 8 education agencies, led by Pontiac City School District (10 schools), Pontiac Academy for Excellence (2 schools), Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Pontiac?
Pontiac High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Pontiac, with 992 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Pontiac?
Yes. 6 of the 18 public schools in Pontiac are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac, Great Lakes Academy, Learn4Life Pontiac. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Pontiac schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Pontiac public schools is 17:1, 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 Pontiac 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