St. Joe-Benton Harbor News

Wayland High School had the largest enrollment among Allegan County schools, welcoming 814 students during the 2023-24 school year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Of all the students welcomed in the 2023-24 school year, 51.5% of them were boys, and 48.5% were girls.

Data also showed that most of the students were white, representing 88% of the Wayland High School total enrollment.

Among the 54 schools in Allegan County, Plainwell High School ranked second in enrollment numbers with 813 students, while Hamilton High School welcomed 808 students and ranked third in the 2023-24 school year.

Wayland High School is part of Wayland Union Schools, which roughly covers schools within Allegan County, with its main office in Wayland.

In the previous school year, Wayland High School also had the largest number of students among Allegan County schools.

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 have widened. Black and Hispanic students' average math proficiency dropped by 7% in 2022, to 13.5% and 28.2%, respectively.

School name	City	Total School Enrollment
Wayland High School	Wayland	814
Plainwell High School	Plainwell	813
Hamilton High School	Hamilton	808
Otsego High School	Otsego	741
Hamilton Middle School	Hamilton	714
Wayland Union Middle School	Wayland	617
Allegan High School	Allegan	614
Plainwell Middle School	Plainwell	587
Fennville Elementary School	Fennville	529
Otsego Middle School	Otsego	524
Hopkins High School	Hopkins	490
Starr Elementary School	Plainwell	451
Washington Street Elementary School	Otsego	450
L. E. White Middle School	Allegan	436
Baseline Middle School	South Haven	403
Gilkey Elementary School	Plainwell	399
Fennville Public High School	Fennville	396
Pine Street Elementary School	Wayland	390
Hopkins Elementary School	Hopkins	384
Hamilton Elementary School	Hamilton	363
Pine Trails Elementary School	Allegan	339
Douglas Elementary School	Douglas	338
Dix Street Elementary School	Otsego	332
Martin High School	Martin	328
Hopkins Middle School	Hopkins	322
Dorr School	Dorr	322
Paris Ridge Elementary School	Caledonia	317
Bessie B. Baker School	Wayland	313
Fennville Middle School	Fennville	288
Robert D. Brandon Elementary School	Martin	288
Dawson Elementary School	Allegan	286
North Shore Elementary School	South Haven	261
Saugatuck High School	Saugatuck	258
West Ward Elementary School	Allegan	245
Sycamore Elementary School	Dorr	244
RJ Steeby School	Wayland	240
Bentheim Elementary School	Hamilton	218
Blue Star Elementary School	Holland	212
Saugatuck Middle School	Saugatuck	197
Pullman Elementary School	Bloomingdale	183
Hamilton Flex	Hamilton	151
Hillside Learning Behavior Center	Allegan	135
Allegan Alternative High School	Allegan	118
Innocademy Allegan Campus	Fennville	95
Renaissance High School	Plainwell	92
Sandyview Elementary School	Holland	53
Career Connections Academy	Wayland	52
Outlook Academy	Allegan	50
Allegan Online K-8	Allegan	45
Pearl Alternative/Adult Education School	Fennville	43
Glenn Public School	Glenn	39
North Ward Elementary School	Allegan	36
Otsego West Campus High School	Otsego	25
Outlook Academy Youth Home Campus	Allegan	15