Holland Reporter

There were 257 African American students enrolled in Allegan County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 6.9% 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, African American students comprised 1.5% of the student body to be the fourth most represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 53 schools in Allegan County, Baseline Middle School recorded the largest enrollment of African American students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of 37 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 African American students enrolment	Total enrollment
Baseline Middle School	9.8%	377
North Shore Elementary School	6.7%	255
Pullman Elementary School	6.1%	165
Allegan High School	3.5%	543
West Ward Elementary School	3.2%	247
Pine Trails Elementary School	2.8%	326
Career Connections Academy	2.7%	37
L. E. White Middle School	2.6%	427
Plainwell High School	2.5%	828
Hillside Learning Behavior Center	2.3%	129
RJ Steeby School	2.3%	256
Paris Ridge Elementary School	2%	303
Starr Elementary School	1.7%	410
Dix Street Elementary School	1.7%	357
Wayland Union Middle School	1.6%	611
Otsego Middle School	1.5%	542
Allegan Online K-8	1.4%	73
Wayland High School	1.3%	800
Fennville Public High School	1.3%	383
Hopkins Elementary School	1.3%	393
Renaissance High School	1.2%	86
Plainwell Middle School	1.1%	569
Saugatuck Middle School	1.1%	186
Bessie B. Baker School	1.1%	280
Gilkey Elementary School	0.9%	439
Martin High School	0.9%	330
Hamilton Elementary School	0.8%	359
Hopkins High School	0.8%	477
Otsego High School	0.8%	708
Dawson Elementary School	0.7%	278
Hamilton Middle School	0.7%	707
Fennville Elementary School	0.6%	503
Hopkins Middle School	0.6%	321
Hamilton High School	0.6%	793
Pine Street Elementary School	0.5%	413
Washington Street Elementary School	0.4%	448
Bentheim Elementary School	0.4%	281
Robert D. Brandon Elementary School	0.3%	299
Dorr School	0.3%	311
Douglas Elementary School	0.3%	366
Otsego West Campus High School	0%	19
Pearl Alternative/Adult Education School	0%	35
Outlook Academy	0%	35
Glenn Public School	0%	41
North Ward Elementary School	0%	29
Outlook Academy Youth Home Campus	0%	11
Saugatuck High School	0%	267
Innocademy Allegan Campus	0%	102
Allegan Alternative High School	0%	112
Sycamore Elementary School	0%	224
Blue Star Elementary School	0%	202
Fennville Middle School	0%	293
Hamilton Flex	0%	172