The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is December 2024)
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Do you research school records? I’m not talking about yearbooks. Those can be found on the Yearbooks Page. I’m talking about actual school records, such as enrollment, attendance, and grade reports for example. These are interesting source documents because they might record the student’s age, birth date and location, and possibly their parents’ names. All great ways to find this information if you haven’t found them in other documents about your target ancestor. Besides, finding out your grandmother’s grades would be interesting!
The record collection links, listed below, feature school records from the state, and list collections of records that are available for free online.
If you wish to get educated with some basic information regarding what is available and how to navigate your research for school records, you can read these summaries:
- 5 Quick Tips to Get the Most Out of Education Records
- Top 10 Strategies for Finding School Records for Genealogy
- Getting Started With School Records for Genealogy Research
So, what types of records related to schools are maintained and often available?
- School Census
- School Catalogs
- Teacher’s Registers
- Attendance Records
- Report Cards
- Class Logs
- Teacher Rosters
- School Board Meetings/Reports
- Academic Team and Class Photos
- Local Newspaper Articles:
- Graduation Lists
- School Activities
- School Sports
- Student Newspapers
- Alumni Directories and Publications
- Yearbooks
- Yearbook Indexes
And, what types of information can you derive from these school records?
- Name (often includes a middle name which is useful).
- Age
- Physical Characteristics – color/race, disability.
- Birth Date
- Current Residence Address
- Name of Father
- Name of Mother
- Occupations of parents
- Grades
- Classes Taken
- Activities (from Photos)
- Date left school (can help with family residence relocation)
Below is a list of links to free online school record collections for the state;
Note: Some of the links go to sites with not much information and some go to sites with an extensive set of records.
Note: Some links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Michigan School Records
- Allegan County, Miscellaneous School Records and Photos
- Arenac County Historical Society School Record Indexes
- Brownstown Township, Records of Woodruff School (District No. 8), 1917-1919
- Cheboygan County, Miscellaneous School Records and Photos
- Clinton County, Miscellaneous School Records and Photos
- Detroit, James E. Scripps School, Roll of Teachers and Pupils of the at its opening, January 3, 1899
- Edmore, School History of Edmore District Number 2
- Flint Township, School District Records, 1865-1902
- Gaines Township, Genesee County, Our District School: a History of Fletcher School, District No. 3
- Grand Rapids, Calvin Seminary. Semi-centennial Volume, Theological School and Calvin College, 1876-1926
- Hamburg Township, . School District No. 8, School District Records, 1866-1899
- Hastings, School Census, 1883
- History of Brick School: District No. 4, 1841-1958
- History of the University of Michigan
- Holland, Centennial University Circular of Hope College
- Holland, Fiftieth Anniversary Catalog of Hope College
- Indian Census Rolls, Bay Mills School, 1909-1911, 1913-1915
- Indian School Census Rolls, 1885-1940
- Iosco Township, Teachers’ Contracts, 1886-1903; School Registers, 1862-1900
- Lenawee County, Miscellaneous School Records and Photos
- Lima Township, School Register, 1872-1895
- Marion Township, School District Records, 1866-1890
- Michigan School Censuses
- Michigan State College, Faculty and Staff Directory
- Michigan, Student Lists by School
- Michigan, Teachers’ Institute, Attendance List, 1890
- Midland County, Normal School Graduates 1905-1936
- Milan Township, Teacher’s Classification Register, 1898-1903
- Mount Clemens, Union High School, 1867-1877
- Mt. Pleasant Industrial Indian School Pupil Registers
- Northfield, Carleton College, Annual Catalogue
- Ogemaw County, Miscellaneous School Records and Photos
- Olivet, Alumni of Olivet College, [1863-1898]; [with,] Graduates of Olivet College, [1863-1905]
- Ottawa County, History of Jamestown School District, 1852–1352
- Ottawa County, Miscellaneous School Records and Photos
- Quincy Township Schools, Student List
- Ransom Township, Teachers Daily Register, School Dist. No. 5
- Saline, School District Records, 1837-1861
- Shelby Township, Record of the School District, 1838-1880
- Sylvan Township, School District Records, 1865-1910
- Three Rivers High School, Class of 1892 Photograph Album
- University of Michigan Law School Alumni Directory
- University of Michigan, General Catalogue of Officers and Students, 1837-1911
- Waterford Township, School District Minutes and Records, 1838-1885
- Wayne County, Miscellaneous School Records and Photos
- Weesaw Township, Elm Valley School, Records and Census
- Wexford County, Old School Houses & Class Pictures
- Wheatland Township, School Records, 1869-1927
- Worcester, College of the Holy Cross Graduates of the College of the Holy Cross, 1849-1884
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!