Holland Reporter

There were 44,874 students enrolled in Ottawa County school districts in the 2023-24 school year, 0.5% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

The county's data showed that kindergarten had the biggest classes with 3,745 students during the 2023-24 school year, while pre-kindergarten saw the smallest enrollment that year with just 1,530 students.

Countywide, Hudsonville Public School District welcomed the most students during the 2023-24 school year.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the article are located in cities associated with Ottawa 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 have widened. Black and Hispanic students' average math proficiency dropped by 7% in 2022, to 13.5% and 28.2%, respectively.

District	Total enrollment in 2022-23	Total enrollment in 2023-24	% Change from Previous Year
Hudsonville Public School District	6,806	6,737	-1
West Ottawa Public School District	6,590	6,708	1.8
Zeeland Public Schools	6,010	5,916	-1.6
Grand Haven Area Public Schools	5,411	5,306	-1.9
Jenison Public Schools	5,198	5,145	-1
Holland City School District	2,834	2,886	1.8
Allendale Public Schools	2,636	2,600	-1.4
Coopersville Area Public School District	2,554	2,515	-1.5
Spring Lake Public Schools	2,331	2,297	-1.5
Ottawa Area ISD	1,455	1,652	13.5
Black River Public School	941	946	0.5
Eagle Crest Charter Academy	649	580	-10.6
Vanderbilt Charter Academy	486	432	-11.1
West Michigan Academy of Arts and Academics	453	423	-6.6
Innocademy	269	267	-0.7
Walden Green Montessori	232	237	2.2
ICademy Global	242	227	-6.2