St. Joe-Benton Harbor News

There were 68 American Indian students enrolled in Van Buren County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 11.7% less 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, American Indian students comprised 0.5% of the student body to be the second lowest represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 44 schools in Van Buren County, Michigan Online School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 12 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 American Indian students enrolment	Total enrollment
Michigan Online School	1	1,236
Hartford High School	1.6	385
Mattawan High School	0.4	1,125
South Haven High School	0.7	569
Redwood Elementary School	0.8	528
Mattawan Middle School	0.4	833
Mattawan Later Elementary School	0.4	812
Mattawan Early Elementary School	0.4	696
Maple Grove Elementary School	1	290
Paw Paw Early Elementary School	0.6	482
Hartford Middle School	1	314
Sister Lakes Elementary School	1.8	168
Paw Paw Later Elementary School	0.4	447
Lawton Elementary School	0.5	398
Paw Paw Middle School	0.4	461
Bangor Middle School	0.7	294
Paw Paw High School	0.2	665
Cedar Street Community and Family Center	1.3	80
Bloomingdale Middle and High School	0.2	563
Covert High School	0.9	116
Lincoln School	0.4	227
Bert Goens Learning Center	1.2	81
Decatur Junior Senior High School	0.2	403
Bloomingdale Elementary School	0.3	287
Davis Elementary School	0.3	349
Gobles High School	0	383
Lawton Middle School	0	313
Lawton High School	0	292
South Walnut Elementary School	0	341
Covert Elementary School	0	155
Bangor High School	0	277
Covert Middle School	0	73
Hartford Alternative Education	0	122
Community-Based Transition Center	0	70
Gobles Elementary School	0	374
Lawrence Junior-Senior High School	0	190
Lawrence Elementary School	0	225
Bangor Career Academy	0	60
Gobles Virtual Academy	0	32
Behavioral Education Center	0	32
WAY South Haven	0	29
Mattawan Early Childhood Education Center	0	87
Wood School Bangor Township 8	0	25
Lawton Accelerated Academic Center	0	37