The village of Sand Lake was founded in 1869 in northern Kent County and has long served as a bedroom community about 25 miles (40.2 km) northeast of the city of Grand Rapids.

This followed, among other things, complaints made by a police officer, alleging that internal misconduct was afoot.

The district was a consolidation of the Sand Lake and Howard City school boards.

It came into existence on April 3, 1962, the day members of those communities voted in favor of consolidating their schools.

Impetus for consolidation occurred when the State of Michigan adopted new standards for education which required school systems to spend additional funds.

Charles Northup, a former member of the Sand Lake school board, stated that Cedar Springs residents would have had primary control and naming of a consolidated school district including Sand Lake, while a consolidation with Howard City would result in joint control between the communities.

According to a former principal of Sand Lake High, Earl Clegg, "community friction" occurred in the consolidation debate.

[7] About 300 people went to a meeting in Sand Lake on proposed school consolidation on February 13, 1961.

[7] The Nelson Township Branch of the Kent District Library is located in Sand Lake.