St. Joe-Benton Harbor News

There were 276 African American students enrolled in Allegan County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 7.4% more than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Allegan County welcomed 17,403 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 1.6% of the student body to be the fourth highest represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 54 schools in Allegan County, Baseline Middle School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 33 students.

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	% of African American students enrolment	Total enrollment
Baseline Middle School	8.2	403
North Shore Elementary School	8.4	261
L. E. White Middle School	4.1	436
Allegan High School	2.4	614
Plainwell High School	1.7	813
Wayland Union Middle School	2.1	617
Pine Trails Elementary School	3.8	339
Wayland High School	1.2	814
Hamilton High School	1.1	808
Paris Ridge Elementary School	2.8	317
Plainwell Middle School	1.4	587
West Ward Elementary School	3.3	245
Starr Elementary School	1.6	451
Hamilton Middle School	0.8	714
Otsego Middle School	1.1	524
Otsego High School	0.8	741
Dawson Elementary School	2.1	286
Pullman Elementary School	3.3	183
Hopkins Elementary School	1.6	384
Dorr School	1.6	322
Dix Street Elementary School	1.2	332
RJ Steeby School	1.7	240
Allegan Alternative High School	3.4	118
Career Connections Academy	7.7	52
Bessie B. Baker School	1	313
Hopkins High School	0.6	490
Washington Street Elementary School	0.7	450
Martin High School	0.9	328
Hopkins Middle School	0.9	322
Fennville Public High School	0.8	396
Gilkey Elementary School	0.5	399
Hamilton Elementary School	0.6	363
Fennville Elementary School	0.4	529
Robert D. Brandon Elementary School	0.7	288
Hillside Learning Behavior Center	1.5	135
Blue Star Elementary School	0.9	212
Douglas Elementary School	0.6	338
Saugatuck Middle School	1	197
Pine Street Elementary School	0.3	390
Hamilton Flex	0.7	151
Outlook Academy	2	50
Saugatuck High School	0.4	258
Pearl Alternative/Adult Education School	2.3	43
Outlook Academy Youth Home Campus	6.7	15
Fennville Middle School	0	288
Sycamore Elementary School	0	244
Bentheim Elementary School	0	218
Innocademy Allegan Campus	0	95
Allegan Online K-8	0	45
Renaissance High School	0	92
Glenn Public School	0	39
North Ward Elementary School	0	36
Otsego West Campus High School	0	25
Sandyview Elementary School	0	53