Holland Reporter

There were 1,087 African American students enrolled in Ottawa County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 2.8% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Ottawa County welcomed 42,379 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 2.6% of the student body to be the third least represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 98 schools in Ottawa County, Holland High School recorded the largest enrollment of African American students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of 87 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
Lighthouse Academy Ottawa Juvenile Detention Center	41.2%	17
Lighthouse Academy Juvenile Justice Institute	21.4%	14
Career Development School	16.7%	6
Jefferson	16.1%	254
Sheldon Pines School	13%	23
Holland Virtual Technology High School	12.5%	48
Holland Middle School	11.7%	605
Holland Heights	11.3%	247
Dunes Alternative High School	9.9%	81
Holland High School	9%	967
West	8.5%	413
Pine Creek Elementary School	8.4%	418
Lake Hills Elementary School	7%	273
Ottawa Area Center	6.7%	104
West Michigan Academy of Arts and Academics	5.4%	371
Vanderbilt Charter Academy	5.2%	401
Harbor Lights Middle School	4.8%	903
CAPS Academy	4.5%	22
Woodside Elementary School	4.4%	431
Great Lakes Elementary School	4.2%	426
New Options High School	3.9%	51
Venture Academy	3.7%	82
Jenison Innovation Academy Elementary School	3.6%	83
Roerink-Knoll Education Center	3.3%	212
Lakeshore Elementary School	3.2%	440
Bursley School	3%	404
West Ottawa High School Campus	2.9%	2,187
South Elementary School	2.8%	391
Bauer Elementary School	2.7%	329
Macatawa Bay Middle School	2.7%	632
Jenison Public Schools Early Childhood Center	2.6%	189
Allendale Early Childhood Center	2.5%	279
Woodbridge Elementary School	2.5%	361
Jenison Junior High School	2.5%	754
Alward Elementary School	2.5%	435
Jenison International Academy	2.5%	159
Allendale Middle School	2.5%	564
Evergreen Elementary School	2.3%	573
Mary A. White School	2.3%	260
Cityside Middle School	2.3%	771
North Holland Elementary School	2.2%	267
Allendale High School	2.2%	737
Bauerwood School	2.1%	480
Black River Public School Middle-High	2.1%	569
Zeeland East High School	2%	935
Sandy Hill School	2%	402
Grand Haven High School	2%	1,630
ICademy Global	2%	197
Lakeshore Middle School	2%	733
White Pines Intermediate School	2%	740
Grand Haven Cyber School	1.9%	106
Griffin Elementary School	1.9%	308
Hudsonville High School	1.8%	1,995
Eagle Crest Charter Academy	1.8%	561
Black River Public School Elementary	1.8%	395
Coopersville South Elementary School	1.8%	337
Jamestown Lower Elementary School	1.7%	289
Riley Street Middle School	1.7%	688
Oakwood Intermediate School	1.7%	347
Walden Green Montessori	1.6%	251
Forest Grove Elementary School	1.6%	254
Waukazoo Elementary School	1.5%	466
Jamestown Upper Elementary School	1.5%	327
Jenison High School	1.5%	1,506
Park Elemementary School	1.5%	260
Zeeland West High School	1.4%	975
Lakewood Elementary School	1.4%	293
Zeeland Quest	1.4%	144
Ferry School	1.3%	232
Pinewood School	1.3%	320
Elementary Puente Spanish Immersion	1.3%	380
Coopersville High School	1.2%	860
Quincy Elementary School	1.1%	455
Central High School	1.1%	89
Holmes Elementary School	1%	409
Baldwin Street Middle School	1%	610
Lincoln Elementary School	0.8%	361
New Groningen School	0.8%	512
Roosevelt Elementary School	0.8%	261
Sheldon Woods Elementary School	0.7%	145
Creekside Middle School	0.7%	577
Innocademy	0.7%	268
Holland Language Academy at Van Raalte	0.7%	307
Spring Lake Intermediate School	0.6%	330
Jeffers Elementary School	0.5%	379
Spring Lake High School	0.5%	795
Robinson School	0.4%	223
Rosewood School	0.4%	481
Georgetown Elementary School	0.4%	450
Rosy Mound School	0.4%	243
Coopersville East Elementary School	0.3%	315
Adams Elementary School	0.3%	343
Coopersville Middle School	0.2%	584
Spring Lake Alternative Education	0%	13
Coopersville West Early Childhood Center	0%	352
Peach Plains School	0%	328
Spring Lake Middle School	0%	345
West Ottawa Virtual Academy	0%	40