West Ottawa Public School District, MI

Original Research by School Decision on West Ottawa Public School District

West Ottawa Public School District covers a stretch of Ottawa County centered on Holland and West Olive, with edges reaching toward Macatawa and Zeeland. The housing market here sits above both the Michigan and national benchmarks, with a typical home value well past the state level and a modest year-over-year gain. Rents are moderate relative to the area's incomes. Most of the district's population lives in the Holland ZIP code, which carries the largest weight in the housing figures, while West Olive contributes a smaller but higher-priced share. The result is a community where buying a home requires a stretch for many families, but renting remains within reach for a working household. Publicly reported information indicates the district is adding capacity: Riley Farms Elementary, a new K through five school, opens in fall twenty twenty-five, reshaping elementary attendance boundaries in a growing suburban pocket. A new auditorium at West Ottawa High School North opened in twenty twenty-four, giving the district a dedicated large-scale performance venue for arts and community events.

The district serves a sizable student body across pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, organized into eight elementary schools, two middle schools, a high school campus, an alternative high school, and a virtual academy. The student population is distinctive for its balance: Hispanic students form the largest single group, with White students close behind, and smaller populations of Asian, Black, multiracial, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. This is a more diverse district than many in Ottawa County. Free or reduced-price lunch data was not available, and the same gap appears for special education and English learner counts, so the economic and linguistic profile of the student body is something a parent may want to ask the district about directly.

On state testing, West Ottawa's results tell a mixed story. English language arts is the district's clearer strength. Proficiency in the upper elementary grades sits in a solid range, and the eighth grade PSAT ELA result is notably strong, well above what most of the other tested grades show. Reading and writing appear to be areas where the district is moving students forward. Math is softer. Third grade math starts at a moderate level, but proficiency tapers as students move up, with the middle school grades landing lower. Science holds fairly steady between fifth and eighth grade at a middling level. Social studies shows a wide gap, with fifth grade results on the low end and eighth grade results considerably higher. Among Ottawa County's districts, West Ottawa's overall proficiency lands in the bottom quartile, which is a softer standing than the county median. Chronic absenteeism runs below the midpoint among county districts, meaning a larger share of students miss significant school days here than in the typical county district. A parent may want to look into attendance patterns and math support further with the district. Per-pupil spending sits in the middle range, upper half among county districts, suggesting the district invests at a level comparable to or slightly above its peers.

The graduation rate was not available in the data provided, so there is no figure to characterize here. A district serving this grade range would normally report one, so this is a gap worth checking with the state or district directly.

What West Ottawa offers is a large, diverse district in a growing suburban area with active facilities investment and a reasonably strong reading program. The math results and absenteeism numbers are the areas that stand out as softer, and the county comparison places proficiency near the bottom of the local set. For families who value a culturally mixed peer environment and a district that is building new schools and performance spaces, West Ottawa has real draw. For those who weigh test scores heavily, the math slide and the county standing are worth a closer conversation with school leadership.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

6,708

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 44%

Black 4%

White 40%

Asian 6%

Two+ 6%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

33%

63%

Gr 4

31%

58%

Gr 5

33%

64%

Gr 6

27%

55%

Gr 7

25%

51%

Gr 8

53%

75%

Math

Gr 3

30%

53%

Gr 4

25%

56%

Gr 5

23%

48%

Gr 6

15%

46%

Gr 7

19%

49%

Gr 8

16%

37%

Science

Gr 5

30%

56%

Gr 8

28%

56%

Social studies

Gr 5

20%

44%

Gr 8

32%

61%

Schools in this District

13 schools are officially reported under this district.

Lakeshore Elementary School

Great Lakes Elementary School

Harbor Lights Middle School

Lakewood Elementary School

North Holland Elementary School

Sheldon Woods Elementary School

Waukazoo Elementary School

West Ottawa High School Campus

Woodside Elementary School

Macatawa Bay Middle School

Pine Creek Elementary School

Dunes Alternative High School

West Ottawa Virtual Academy

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

39%

Grade 3

38%

Grade 4

33%

Grade 5

28%

Grade 6

32%

Grade 7

25%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

45%

Grade 3

42%

Grade 4

46%

Grade 5

39%

Grade 6

36%

Grade 7

62%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

41%

Grade 5

40%

Grade 8

Social Studies

2 grades reported

30%

Grade 5

44%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$416,521

Year-over-year change+4.3%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$390K to $1.2M

vs. state typical1.58x

vs. national typical1.13x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
49424	Holland	$390K	+4.1%	74.7%
49460	West Olive	$501K	+4.7%	23.8%
49464	Zeeland	$392K	+5.0%	1.5%
49434	Macatawa	$1.2M	+7.0%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,874/mo

Year-over-year change+3.9%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$1,870 to $2,071/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
49424	Holland	$1,870	+3.9%	74.7%
49464	Zeeland	$2,071	—	1.5%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,102/mo

Home price / national median income5.0x

Annual rent / national median income26.9%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$228/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$263,590 (+4.2% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.