South Kent News

The majority of students in Kent County districts were white in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Of the 98,371 students attending Kent County district schools, 55.1% were white. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnic group among Kent County's districts (20%).

In the previous school year, white students were still the most common group in Kent County, representing 55.5% of the student body.

Kentwood Public Schools had the most even distribution of races among the county districts, including 33.1% African American students, 25.7% white students, 17.7% Hispanic students, 14.2% Asian students, 8.9% multiracial students, 0.3% American Indian students, and 0.1% Hawaiian students.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in school districts in the county dropped 1.5% compared to the previous year.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Kent County.

Overall student enrollment in Michigan remains below pre-pandemic levels, with white students experiencing the largest decline at 6.5%.

Academic performance has also suffered, with the state's average NAEP score dropping by 6.5 points and ethnic achievement gaps widening. Black and Hispanic students' average math proficiency dropped by 7% in 2022, to 13.5% and 28.2%, respectively.

District	Most Prevalent Ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Byron Center Charter School	White	83.4%	193
Byron Center Public Schools	White	78.3%	4,443
Caledonia Community Schools	White	82.9%	4,613
Cedar Springs Public Schools	White	87.5%	3,202
Chandler Woods Charter Academy	White	89.5%	773
Comstock Park Public Schools	White	56.5%	1,776
Covenant House Academy Grand Rapids	African American	51.7%	230
Creative Technologies Academy	White	88.9%	323
Cross Creek Charter Academy	White	60.9%	780
East Grand Rapids Public Schools	White	83.4%	2,946
Excel Charter Academy	White	37.1%	784
Forest Hills Public Schools	White	77.4%	9,208
Godfrey-Lee Public Schools	Hispanic	79.6%	1,650
Godwin Heights Public Schools	Hispanic	58.1%	2,026
Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center	White	65.2%	287
Grand Rapids Public Schools	Hispanic	39.3%	13,787
Grand River Preparatory High School	Hispanic	49.8%	604
Grandville Public Schools	White	72.2%	5,521
Hope Academy of West Michigan	Hispanic	86.1%	359
Kelloggsville Public Schools	Hispanic	41.8%	2,272
Kenowa Hills Public Schools	White	69%	3,010
Kent City Community Schools	White	74.5%	1,291
Kent ISD	White	38.8%	3,531
Kentwood Public Schools	African American	33.1%	9,368
Knapp Charter Academy	African American	40.1%	576
Lighthouse Academy	African American	46.4%	349
Lowell Area Schools	White	89.8%	3,498
New Branches Charter Academy	African American	51.4%	358
NexTech High School	White	44.3%	140
Northview Public Schools	White	71.1%	3,061
PrepNet Virtual Academy	African American	53%	1,220
Ridge Park Charter Academy	African American	65.1%	493
River City Scholars Charter Academy	African American	73.7%	346
Rockford Public Schools	White	86.9%	7,719
Sparta Area Schools	White	83%	2,433
Tri County Area Schools	White	89.8%	1,719
Vanguard Charter Academy	White	47.3%	797
Vista Charter Academy	Hispanic	55.9%	605
Walker Charter Academy	White	55%	698
Wellspring Preparatory High School	African American	41%	307
West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science	White	61.3%	728
West Michigan Aviation Academy	White	72.9%	605
William C. Abney Academy	African American	96.5%	347
Wyoming Public Schools	Hispanic	47.3%	3,916