St. Joe-Benton Harbor News

There were 13,418 white students enrolled in Berrien County districts in the 2022-23 school year, 1.2% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Berrien County welcomed 21,620 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, white students comprised 62.1% of the student body to be the most represented ethnicity in the county districts.

Among the 20 districts in Berrien County, Berrien Springs Public Schools recorded the highest enrollment of white students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 2,484 students.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Berrien County.

Overall student enrollment in Michigan remains below pre-pandemic levels, with white students experiencing the largest decline at 6.5%.

Academic performance has also suffered, with the state's average NAEP score dropping by 6.5 points and ethnic achievement gaps widening. Black and Hispanic students' average math proficiency dropped by 7% in 2022, to 13.5% and 28.2%, respectively.

District	% of white Students Enrolled	Total Enrollment
Benton Harbor Area Schools	2.3%	1,448
Benton Harbor Charter School Academy	0.7%	442
Berrien RESA	54.7%	806
Berrien Springs Public Schools	57%	4,358
Brandywine Community Schools	80.3%	1,304
Bridge Academy of Southwest Michigan	25%	92
Bridgman Public Schools	85.4%	849
Buchanan Community Schools	84%	1,566
Coloma Community Schools	65.3%	1,161
Countryside Academy	10.9%	758
Eau Claire Public Schools	33.8%	654
Hagar Township School District #6	61.6%	73
Lakeshore School District (Berrien)	80.8%	2,688
Mildred C. Wells Preparatory Academy	0.9%	217
New Buffalo Area Schools	81%	536
Niles Community Schools	67%	3,313
River Valley School District	84.9%	497
Sodus Township School District #5	41.5%	65
St. Joseph Public Schools	74.5%	2,965
Watervliet School District	74.2%	1,452