Enrollment Analysis: Hispanic students comprised 11.3% of Berrien County’s student body in 2024-25 school year

Enrollment Analysis: Hispanic students comprised 11.3% of Berrien County’s student body in 2024-25 school year
Dr. Michael F. Rice Michigan superintendent of public instruction — https://radio.wcmu.org/
0Comments

There were 2,374 Hispanic students enrolled in Berrien County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 0.4% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Berrien County welcomed 21,077 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, Hispanic students comprised 11.3% of the student body to be the third most represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 74 schools in Berrien County, Countryside Academy Elementary recorded the largest enrollment of Hispanic students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of 125 students.

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,427,386 students enrolled in Michigan schools, a figure 4.8% below the pre-pandemic total of 1,499,552 in 2019-20, with white students seeing the largest decline of approximately 3%.

Academic performance in Michigan remains below pre-pandemic levels. According to the 2024 NAEP results, the share of students reaching the basic benchmark in core subjects is about 10 percentage points lower than in 2019—except for fourth-grade math, which saw a decline of just 2 points.

Achievement gaps between ethnic groups also persist. On average, Hispanic students scored 15 points below white students. The gap was even wider for Black students, who scored about 30 points lower than their white peers.

The 2025 education budget, approved by Gov. Whitmer last July, totals $23.4 billion—$900 million less than the previous year’s budget. K-12 schools are working with $20.6 billion, a reduction from the $21.5 billion allocated in 2024.

However, some school superintendents and educators were concerned about the new budget. “Schools cannot function properly without adequate funding for safety and mental health,” stated Rep. David Martin, R-Davison, referring to a significant cut of around $301 million from school safety and mental health programs. Based on the current bill, the program will receive just $26.5 million.

Ethnicities in Berrien County in 2024-25 School Year
Enrollment Demographics in Berrien County Schools During 2024-25 School Year
School name % of Hispanic students enrolment Total enrollment
Eau Claire Middle School 48.9% 139
Eau Claire High School 39.4% 180
Lybrook Elementary School 34.8% 233
Countryside Academy Elementary 32.6% 384
Countryside Academy Middle-High School 30.8% 386
Coloma Intermediate School 23.4% 175
WAY Eau Claire 22.9% 35
Watervliet Middle School 22.3% 309
Coloma Junior High School 21.5% 228
WAY Watervliet High School 20% 90
North Elementary School 19.6% 312
Coloma Elementary School 19.1% 356
New Buffalo Senior High School 18.6% 172
River School 18.6% 70
Watervliet Senior High School 17.5% 360
Berrien Springs High School 17.3% 554
South Elementary School 16.7% 335
Mars Elementary School 16.6% 338
Coloma High School 16.1% 336
Berrien Springs Middle School 15.8% 424
Ballard Elementary School 14.9% 516
Sylvester Elementary School 14.5% 394
Bridge Academy of Southwest Michigan 13.4% 112
Niles Senior High School 12.9% 828
Riverside School 12.5% 72
New Buffalo Middle School 12% 133
New Buffalo Elementary School 10.9% 211
Ring Lardner Middle School 10.8% 510
Berrien Springs Discovery Academy 10.8% 74
Eastside Connections School 10.4% 403
River Valley Middle-High School 9.8% 265
Niles Cedar Lane 9.7% 134
Three Oaks Elementary School 9.7% 195
Lighthouse Education Center 9% 134
Lincoln School 8.5% 423
Hollywood Elementary School 8.2% 377
Buchanan Virtual Academy 8.2% 49
Merritt Elementary School 8.2% 304
Lakeshore High School 8.1% 843
Berrien Springs Virtual Academy 8% 213
F. C. Reed Middle School 8% 261
Upton Middle School 7.8% 690
St. Joseph High School 7.7% 933
Lakeshore Middle School 7% 612
Clarke School 6.9% 462
Roosevelt Elementary School 6.6% 412
Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School 6.6% 229
Bridgman Elementary School 5.8% 309
Brandywine Innovation Academy 5.8% 69
Brown School 5.6% 410
Niles Virtual School 5.6% 18
Moccasin Elementary School 5.4% 354
Brandywine Senior High School 5.2% 366
Brandywine Elementary School 5% 379
Career and Alternative Pathways to Education Center 5% 60
Blossomland Learning Center 5% 159
Brandywine Middle School 4.9% 183
Fair Plain East Elementary School 4.7% 150
Stewart Elementary School 4.6% 391
Southside Special Education School 4.4% 45
Ottawa Elementary School 4.3% 230
Fair Plain Middle School 4.2% 240
Niles Comm Schools Adult Education 4.2% 24
Buchanan Middle School 3.6% 358
Bridgman High School 3.3% 239
Buchanan High School 3% 561
Benton Harbor Charter School Academy 2.6% 418
Mildred C. Wells Preparatory Academy 2.2% 227
WAY Niles 2.1% 95
Benton Harbor High School 1.5% 469
Discovery Enrichment Center 1.3% 80
Buchanan Step Up 0% 15
Northside Child Development Center 0% 13
Berrien County Juvenile Center 0% 10


Related

Enrollment Analysis: Hispanic students comprised 11.3% of Berrien County’s student body in 2024-25 school year

Lower college readiness rates among Lawton Community School District students in 2023-24 school year

Lawton Community School District ranked the 243rd highest in college readiness statewide, based on its students’ performance on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing portion of the 2023-24 SAT.

Enrollment Analysis: Hispanic students comprised 11.3% of Berrien County’s student body in 2024-25 school year

More Coloma Community Schools students ready for college in 2023-24 school year

Coloma Community Schools ranked the 223rd highest in college readiness statewide, based on its students’ performance on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing portion of the 2023-24 SAT.

Enrollment Analysis: Hispanic students comprised 11.3% of Berrien County’s student body in 2024-25 school year

Were Paw Paw Public School District students in 2023-24 school year ready for college?

Paw Paw Public School District ranked the 210th highest in college readiness statewide, based on its students’ performance on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing portion of the 2023-24 SAT.

Trending

The Weekly Newsletter

Sign-up for the Weekly Newsletter from St. Joe-Benton Harbor News.