Holland Reporter

There were 99 Asian students enrolled in Allegan County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 1% 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, Asian students comprised 0.6% of the student body to be the third least represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 53 schools in Allegan County, Plainwell High School recorded the largest enrollment of Asian students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of 13 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 Asian students enrolment	Total enrollment
North Ward Elementary School	3.4%	29
Paris Ridge Elementary School	2.3%	303
Hamilton Flex	1.7%	172
Plainwell High School	1.6%	828
Blue Star Elementary School	1.5%	202
Allegan Online K-8	1.4%	73
Baseline Middle School	1.3%	377
Hamilton High School	1.3%	793
West Ward Elementary School	1.2%	247
Otsego High School	1%	708
Hamilton Middle School	1%	707
Allegan High School	0.7%	543
Otsego Middle School	0.7%	542
Washington Street Elementary School	0.7%	448
Bentheim Elementary School	0.7%	281
Saugatuck High School	0.7%	267
Wayland High School	0.6%	800
Saugatuck Middle School	0.5%	186
Gilkey Elementary School	0.5%	439
L. E. White Middle School	0.5%	427
Starr Elementary School	0.5%	410
Douglas Elementary School	0.5%	366
Hopkins High School	0.4%	477
Dawson Elementary School	0.4%	278
North Shore Elementary School	0.4%	255
Wayland Union Middle School	0.3%	611
Hopkins Middle School	0.3%	321
Pine Trails Elementary School	0.3%	326
Fennville Public High School	0.3%	383
Fennville Elementary School	0.2%	503
Dix Street Elementary School	0%	357
RJ Steeby School	0%	256
Plainwell Middle School	0%	569
Hopkins Elementary School	0%	393
Hillside Learning Behavior Center	0%	129
Martin High School	0%	330
Hamilton Elementary School	0%	359
Bessie B. Baker School	0%	280
Pine Street Elementary School	0%	413
Pullman Elementary School	0%	165
Renaissance High School	0%	86
Career Connections Academy	0%	37
Dorr School	0%	311
Robert D. Brandon Elementary School	0%	299
Otsego West Campus High School	0%	19
Pearl Alternative/Adult Education School	0%	35
Fennville Middle School	0%	293
Outlook Academy	0%	35
Glenn Public School	0%	41
Sycamore Elementary School	0%	224
Allegan Alternative High School	0%	112
Innocademy Allegan Campus	0%	102
Outlook Academy Youth Home Campus	0%	11