Dr. Michael F. Rice Michigan superintendent of public instruction | https://radio.wcmu.org/
Dr. Michael F. Rice Michigan superintendent of public instruction | https://radio.wcmu.org/
Data showed that Berrien County welcomed 21,077 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, Hispanic students comprised 11.3% of the student body to be the third most represented ethnicity in the county.
Among the 74 schools in Berrien County, Countryside Academy Elementary recorded the largest enrollment of Hispanic students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of 125 students.
In the 2024-25 school year, 1,427,386 students enrolled in Michigan schools, a figure 4.8% below the pre-pandemic total of 1,499,552 in 2019-20, with white students seeing the largest decline of approximately 3%.
Academic performance in Michigan remains below pre-pandemic levels. According to the 2024 NAEP results, the share of students reaching the basic benchmark in core subjects is about 10 percentage points lower than in 2019—except for fourth-grade math, which saw a decline of just 2 points.
Achievement gaps between ethnic groups also persist. On average, Hispanic students scored 15 points below white students. The gap was even wider for Black students, who scored about 30 points lower than their white peers.
The 2025 education budget, approved by Gov. Whitmer last July, totals $23.4 billion—$900 million less than the previous year’s budget. K-12 schools are working with $20.6 billion, a reduction from the $21.5 billion allocated in 2024.
However, some school superintendents and educators were concerned about the new budget. "Schools cannot function properly without adequate funding for safety and mental health," stated Rep. David Martin, R-Davison, referring to a significant cut of around $301 million from school safety and mental health programs. Based on the current bill, the program will receive just $26.5 million.
| School name | % of Hispanic students enrolment | Total enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire Middle School | 48.9% | 139 |
| Eau Claire High School | 39.4% | 180 |
| Lybrook Elementary School | 34.8% | 233 |
| Countryside Academy Elementary | 32.6% | 384 |
| Countryside Academy Middle-High School | 30.8% | 386 |
| Coloma Intermediate School | 23.4% | 175 |
| WAY Eau Claire | 22.9% | 35 |
| Watervliet Middle School | 22.3% | 309 |
| Coloma Junior High School | 21.5% | 228 |
| WAY Watervliet High School | 20% | 90 |
| North Elementary School | 19.6% | 312 |
| Coloma Elementary School | 19.1% | 356 |
| New Buffalo Senior High School | 18.6% | 172 |
| River School | 18.6% | 70 |
| Watervliet Senior High School | 17.5% | 360 |
| Berrien Springs High School | 17.3% | 554 |
| South Elementary School | 16.7% | 335 |
| Mars Elementary School | 16.6% | 338 |
| Coloma High School | 16.1% | 336 |
| Berrien Springs Middle School | 15.8% | 424 |
| Ballard Elementary School | 14.9% | 516 |
| Sylvester Elementary School | 14.5% | 394 |
| Bridge Academy of Southwest Michigan | 13.4% | 112 |
| Niles Senior High School | 12.9% | 828 |
| Riverside School | 12.5% | 72 |
| New Buffalo Middle School | 12% | 133 |
| New Buffalo Elementary School | 10.9% | 211 |
| Ring Lardner Middle School | 10.8% | 510 |
| Berrien Springs Discovery Academy | 10.8% | 74 |
| Eastside Connections School | 10.4% | 403 |
| River Valley Middle-High School | 9.8% | 265 |
| Niles Cedar Lane | 9.7% | 134 |
| Three Oaks Elementary School | 9.7% | 195 |
| Lighthouse Education Center | 9% | 134 |
| Lincoln School | 8.5% | 423 |
| Hollywood Elementary School | 8.2% | 377 |
| Buchanan Virtual Academy | 8.2% | 49 |
| Merritt Elementary School | 8.2% | 304 |
| Lakeshore High School | 8.1% | 843 |
| Berrien Springs Virtual Academy | 8% | 213 |
| F. C. Reed Middle School | 8% | 261 |
| Upton Middle School | 7.8% | 690 |
| St. Joseph High School | 7.7% | 933 |
| Lakeshore Middle School | 7% | 612 |
| Clarke School | 6.9% | 462 |
| Roosevelt Elementary School | 6.6% | 412 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School | 6.6% | 229 |
| Bridgman Elementary School | 5.8% | 309 |
| Brandywine Innovation Academy | 5.8% | 69 |
| Brown School | 5.6% | 410 |
| Niles Virtual School | 5.6% | 18 |
| Moccasin Elementary School | 5.4% | 354 |
| Brandywine Senior High School | 5.2% | 366 |
| Brandywine Elementary School | 5% | 379 |
| Career and Alternative Pathways to Education Center | 5% | 60 |
| Blossomland Learning Center | 5% | 159 |
| Brandywine Middle School | 4.9% | 183 |
| Fair Plain East Elementary School | 4.7% | 150 |
| Stewart Elementary School | 4.6% | 391 |
| Southside Special Education School | 4.4% | 45 |
| Ottawa Elementary School | 4.3% | 230 |
| Fair Plain Middle School | 4.2% | 240 |
| Niles Comm Schools Adult Education | 4.2% | 24 |
| Buchanan Middle School | 3.6% | 358 |
| Bridgman High School | 3.3% | 239 |
| Buchanan High School | 3% | 561 |
| Benton Harbor Charter School Academy | 2.6% | 418 |
| Mildred C. Wells Preparatory Academy | 2.2% | 227 |
| WAY Niles | 2.1% | 95 |
| Benton Harbor High School | 1.5% | 469 |
| Discovery Enrichment Center | 1.3% | 80 |
| Buchanan Step Up | 0% | 15 |
| Northside Child Development Center | 0% | 13 |
| Berrien County Juvenile Center | 0% | 10 |
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