West Iron County Public Schools is a consolidated system made up of the former Bates Township School, Iron River Public Schools, and the Stambaugh Township Schools. The district was consolidated in 1967. The school district encompasses the cities of Iron River, Caspian, Gaastra, and the townships of Bates, Iron River, and Stambaugh. There are approximately 560 square miles in the district, which requires a considerable amount of transportation. The current K- 12 enrollment as of Feb, 2009 is 949 students. All teachers in the West Iron County School District are highly qualified according to the standards set by the State of Michigan and the federal government’s No Child Left Behind.