Holland Reporter

There were 257 African American students enrolled in Allegan County districts in the 2022-23 school year, 1.5% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Allegan County welcomed 17,979 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 1.4% of the student body to be the fourth most represented ethnicity in the county districts.

Among the 13 districts in Allegan County, Allegan Public Schools recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 60 students.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Allegan County.

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

District	% of African American Students Enrolled	Total Enrollment
Allegan Area Educational Service Agency	0.5%	428
Allegan Public Schools	2.7%	2,198
Fennville Public Schools	0.6%	1,247
Hamilton Community Schools	0.7%	2,905
Hopkins Public Schools	0.8%	1,480
Martin Public Schools	0.8%	614
Otsego Public Schools	1%	2,363
Outlook Academy	1.8%	57
Plainwell Community Schools	1%	2,623
Saugatuck Public Schools	0.5%	802
Wayland Union Schools	1.1%	2,849