St. Joe-Benton Harbor News

There were 732 African American students enrolled in Van Buren County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 19% more than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Van Buren County welcomed 14,926 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 4.9% of the student body to be the fourth highest represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 44 schools in Van Buren County, Michigan Online School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 371 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
Michigan Online School	30	1,236
South Haven High School	8.8	569
Mattawan High School	2.5	1,125
Bloomingdale Middle and High School	4.8	563
Covert High School	20.7	116
Lincoln School	8.8	227
South Walnut Elementary School	5.9	341
Covert Elementary School	12.9	155
Mattawan Middle School	2.2	833
Bangor High School	6.1	277
Mattawan Later Elementary School	2	812
Maple Grove Elementary School	4.5	290
Bangor Middle School	3.4	294
Covert Middle School	13.7	73
Mattawan Early Elementary School	1.1	696
Paw Paw High School	1.1	665
Bert Goens Learning Center	8.6	81
Paw Paw Early Elementary School	1.2	482
Hartford High School	1.6	385
Hartford Middle School	1.9	314
Hartford Alternative Education	4.9	122
Community-Based Transition Center	8.6	70
Redwood Elementary School	1.1	528
Gobles Elementary School	1.3	374
Gobles High School	1	383
Decatur Junior Senior High School	0.7	403
Lawrence Junior-Senior High School	1.6	190
Lawton Elementary School	0.5	398
Bloomingdale Elementary School	0.7	287
Paw Paw Middle School	0.4	461
Davis Elementary School	0.3	349
Paw Paw Later Elementary School	0.2	447
Lawton Middle School	0.3	313
Lawton High School	0.3	292
Lawrence Elementary School	0.4	225
Sister Lakes Elementary School	0.6	168
Bangor Career Academy	1.7	60
Gobles Virtual Academy	3.1	32
Behavioral Education Center	3.1	32
WAY South Haven	0	29
Mattawan Early Childhood Education Center	0	87
Cedar Street Community and Family Center	0	80
Wood School Bangor Township 8	0	25
Lawton Accelerated Academic Center	0	37