Wayne-Westland Community School District

Wayne-Westland Community School District serves 9,773 students across 16 schools in suburban Wayne County, Michigan. The district experienced a slight enrollment decline of 0.8% from the prior year, suggesting relatively stable enrollment. With 625 teachers, the district maintains a student-teacher ratio of 15.6:1, slightly above the typical benchmark.

Academic performance indicators show notable gaps compared to state averages. The graduation rate stands at 75.6%, approximately 10 percentage points below Michigan's average of 85.5%, while the dropout rate reaches 10.3%. Chronic absenteeism presents a significant challenge at 46.5%, substantially higher than typical state levels.

The district serves a population with considerable socioeconomic needs. Approximately 62.2% of students qualify as economically disadvantaged, and 20.9% receive special education services. English learners represent 5.5% of enrollment. Racially, the district is predominantly White (46.3%) and Black (39.7%), with smaller Hispanic (6.9%) and Asian (1.7%) populations.

Financially, Wayne-Westland operates with a total budget of $173.9 million and per-pupil spending of $18,451.98, exceeding Michigan's average of $17,165. This higher spending relative to state averages occurs despite the district's lower academic outcomes, indicating resource allocation occurs within a context of substantial student support needs and demographic challenges.