Dr. Michael F. Rice Michigan superintendent of public instruction | https://radio.wcmu.org/
Dr. Michael F. Rice Michigan superintendent of public instruction | https://radio.wcmu.org/
Data showed that St. Joseph County welcomed 9,499 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 3.5% of the student body to be the fourth most represented ethnicity in the county.
Among the 31 schools in St. Joseph County, Burr Oak Virtual Academy recorded the largest enrollment of African American students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of 50 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Burr Oak Virtual Academy | 17.9% | 280 |
| Park Elementary School | 11.1% | 262 |
| Andrews Elementary School | 10.5% | 296 |
| Ruth Hoppin School | 8.9% | 293 |
| Three Rivers Middle School | 7.1% | 476 |
| Three Rivers High School | 6.8% | 632 |
| Norton Elementary School | 4.3% | 186 |
| Pathfinder Educational Center | 3.8% | 79 |
| Eastwood School | 2.6% | 642 |
| Centreville Elementary School | 2.3% | 482 |
| Riverside Elementary School | 2.3% | 256 |
| Colon Elementary School | 2.2% | 223 |
| Eastside Elementary School | 2.2% | 230 |
| Sturgis Middle School | 2.1% | 634 |
| Mendon Middle/High School | 2% | 254 |
| Constantine Middle School | 1.9% | 309 |
| Constantine Alternative Education | 1.9% | 104 |
| Sturgis High School | 1.8% | 882 |
| Colon High School | 1.5% | 271 |
| Constantine High School | 1.4% | 348 |
| Wall School | 1.4% | 292 |
| Burr Oak High School | 1.2% | 85 |
| Centreville Junior Senior High School | 1% | 407 |
| White Pigeon Junior-Senior High School | 0.6% | 363 |
| Mendon Elementary School | 0.5% | 210 |
| Central Elementary School | 0.3% | 366 |
| Burr Oak Elementary School | 0% | 138 |
| Wenzel School | 0% | 148 |
| Nottawa Community School | 0% | 189 |
| Congress School | 0% | 162 |
| Three Rivers Partnership | 0% | 3 |
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