Betsie Valley School

Set in THOMPSONVILLE, Michigan, Betsie Valley School is an one-room-style primary school, run under Benzie County Central Schools. It instructs 131 students across grades pre-K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 64% below the state mean of about 369.

Across the 6 schools in Benzie County Central Schools (1,136 students total), Betsie Valley School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

In terms of who attends, Betsie Valley School records that the student body is overwhelmingly White (91%). Beyond that, the school lists 7% multiracial. Compared to Manistee County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

On the income-and-resources front, Staff filings list 10 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 13.3:1 students per teacher. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 15.8:1 average. About 71% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

Zooming out to the county, community-level numbers for Manistee County indicate median household income runs about $63,516, 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 8%. In all, Manistee County runs 14 public schools (combined enrollment of about 6,511 students), of which Betsie Valley School is one.

The closest other public school is Benzie Central Middle School, roughly 10.2 miles away.

Geographically, the school is in a small-town area.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Betsie Valley School has ticked down 8%, going from 143 students in 2018 to 131 in 2025.

On allk12, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.