Holland Reporter

There were 1,846 Hispanic students enrolled in Allegan County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 0.8% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Allegan County welcomed 17,158 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, Hispanic students comprised 10.8% of the student body to be the second most represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 53 schools in Allegan County, Fennville Elementary School recorded the largest enrollment of Hispanic students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of 277 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
Fennville Elementary School	55.1%	503
Fennville Public High School	51.4%	383
Fennville Middle School	50.9%	293
Pullman Elementary School	40%	165
Pearl Alternative/Adult Education School	31.4%	35
Innocademy Allegan Campus	25.5%	102
Baseline Middle School	15.1%	377
Blue Star Elementary School	14.4%	202
Hillside Learning Behavior Center	11.6%	129
North Shore Elementary School	11.4%	255
Pine Trails Elementary School	10.7%	326
Martin High School	10.3%	330
Saugatuck High School	10.1%	267
Hamilton Flex	9.9%	172
Glenn Public School	9.8%	41
Wayland Union Middle School	9.2%	611
Outlook Academy Youth Home Campus	9.1%	11
Hamilton High School	9%	793
Bessie B. Baker School	8.6%	280
Allegan High School	8.5%	543
Starr Elementary School	8.5%	410
Robert D. Brandon Elementary School	8.4%	299
Hamilton Elementary School	8.1%	359
Dorr School	7.7%	311
Dawson Elementary School	7.2%	278
Plainwell High School	7.1%	828
Hamilton Middle School	7.1%	707
Wayland High School	7%	800
Allegan Online K-8	6.8%	73
Douglas Elementary School	6.6%	366
L. E. White Middle School	6.6%	427
Hopkins Elementary School	6.4%	393
Pine Street Elementary School	6.1%	413
RJ Steeby School	5.9%	256
West Ward Elementary School	5.7%	247
Washington Street Elementary School	5.4%	448
Otsego High School	5.4%	708
Saugatuck Middle School	5.4%	186
Allegan Alternative High School	5.4%	112
Paris Ridge Elementary School	5.3%	303
Gilkey Elementary School	5.2%	439
Dix Street Elementary School	4.8%	357
Renaissance High School	4.7%	86
Plainwell Middle School	4.7%	569
Hopkins Middle School	4.7%	321
Otsego Middle School	4.2%	542
Hopkins High School	4%	477
Bentheim Elementary School	3.9%	281
North Ward Elementary School	3.4%	29
Sycamore Elementary School	2.7%	224
Career Connections Academy	2.7%	37
Outlook Academy	0%	35
Otsego West Campus High School	0%	19