Sturgis-Coldwater News

There were 7,149 white students enrolled in St. Joseph County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 3.6% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that St. Joseph County welcomed 9,499 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, white students comprised 75.3% of the student body to be the most represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 31 schools in St. Joseph County, Sturgis High School recorded the largest enrollment of white students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of 495 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 white students enrolment	Total enrollment
Nottawa Community School	95.8%	189
Colon Elementary School	95.1%	223
Colon High School	93.4%	271
Mendon Elementary School	92.9%	210
Centreville Junior Senior High School	90.9%	407
Constantine Alternative Education	90.4%	104
Mendon Middle/High School	89.8%	254
Central Elementary School	89.6%	366
Constantine Middle School	88.7%	309
Centreville Elementary School	87.8%	482
Burr Oak Elementary School	85.5%	138
Constantine High School	85.3%	348
Riverside Elementary School	84.8%	256
Burr Oak High School	84.7%	85
Eastside Elementary School	84.3%	230
White Pigeon Junior-Senior High School	82.4%	363
Pathfinder Educational Center	78.5%	79
Andrews Elementary School	76%	296
Norton Elementary School	74.2%	186
Three Rivers Middle School	73.9%	476
Three Rivers High School	73.9%	632
Ruth Hoppin School	73.4%	293
Burr Oak Virtual Academy	68.2%	280
Park Elementary School	65.6%	262
Eastwood School	59%	642
Congress School	58%	162
Sturgis Middle School	57.6%	634
Sturgis High School	56.1%	882
Wenzel School	55.4%	148
Wall School	53.8%	292
Three Rivers Partnership	33.3%	3