St. Joe-Benton Harbor News

There were 124 American Indian students enrolled in Berrien County districts in the 2022-23 school year, 5.1% more 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, American Indian students comprised 0.6% of the student body to be the second least represented ethnicity in the county districts.

Among the 20 districts in Berrien County, Berrien Springs Public Schools recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 38 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 American Indian Students Enrolled	Total Enrollment
Benton Harbor Area Schools	0.1%	1,448
Benton Harbor Charter School Academy	0.2%	442
Berrien RESA	0.5%	806
Berrien Springs Public Schools	0.9%	4,358
Brandywine Community Schools	1.2%	1,304
Bridge Academy of Southwest Michigan	1.1%	92
Bridgman Public Schools	0.4%	849
Buchanan Community Schools	0.8%	1,566
Coloma Community Schools	0.3%	1,161
Lakeshore School District (Berrien)	0.6%	2,688
New Buffalo Area Schools	0.4%	536
Niles Community Schools	0.9%	3,313
River Valley School District	1.2%	497
St. Joseph Public Schools	0.3%	2,965
Watervliet School District	1.1%	1,452