South Kent News

There were 51,112 white students enrolled in Kent County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 4.7% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Kent County welcomed 95,576 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, white students comprised 53.5% of the student body to be the most represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 222 schools in Kent County, Rockford High School recorded the largest enrollment of white students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of 1,526 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
Lincoln Heights Elementary School	92.5%	398
Murray Lake Elementary School	90.8%	433
Alto Elementary School	90.6%	417
Cannonsburg Elementary School	90.1%	262
Lowell Senior High School	89.7%	1,058
Lowell Middle School	89.6%	790
Unity Alternative School	89.5%	19
Creative Technologies Academy	89.4%	302
Valley View Elementary School	89.3%	336
Red Hawk Elementary School	88.6%	657
Goodwillie Environmental School	88.3%	103
Kettle Lake Elementary School	88.3%	349
Cedar View Elementary School	88%	466
Cedar Trails Elementary School	87.9%	431
Chandler Woods Charter Academy	87.9%	741
Breton Downs School	87.8%	451
Sand Lake Elementary School	87.8%	780
Crestwood Elementary School	87.4%	469
East Rockford Middle School	87.4%	788
Cedar Springs High School	87.4%	952
Rockford High School	87.2%	1,750
North Rockford Middle School	86.9%	908
Lakes Elementary School	86.8%	409
Beach Elementary School	86.5%	445
Meadow Ridge Elementary School	86.4%	397
Bushnell Elementary School	86.2%	253
Roguewood Elementary School	85.9%	283
Belmont Elementary School	85.9%	277
Cherry Creek Elementary School	85.8%	485
Pine Ridge Elementary School	85.6%	472
Rockford High School Freshman Center	84.4%	584
Knapp Forest Elementary School	84%	520
Central Middle School	83.4%	488
Blandford School	83.3%	60
Wealthy School	83.1%	462
Lakeside School	83%	453
Kent City Alternative High School	82.6%	23
Caledonia Elementary School	82.5%	378
Central Woodlands 5-6 School	82.3%	462
New Beginnings Alternative High School	82%	50
Duncan Lake Middle School	81.8%	696
East Grand Rapids Middle School	81.7%	710
Sparta Middle School	81.5%	503
Caledonia High School	81.3%	1,438
Central High School	81.1%	999
River Valley Academy	81.1%	37
John Ball Park Zoo School	81%	58
East Grand Rapids High School	80.9%	908
Eastern High School	80.9%	768
Sparta Senior High School	80.7%	778
Byron Center Charter School	80.4%	199
Appleview Elementary School	80.3%	517
Rockford Spanish Immersion	80.1%	307
Eastern Middle School	79.9%	528
Ridgeview Elementary School	79.8%	555
Ada Elementary School	79.5%	293
Emmons Lake Elementary School	79.3%	377
Kraft Meadows Intermediate School	79.1%	703
Byron Center High School	78.5%	1,387
Zinser Elementary School	78.3%	443
Parkside Elementary School	78.2%	179
Byron Center West Middle School	77.4%	729
Thornapple Elementary School	77.3%	361
Kent City Elementary School	76.7%	537
Robert L. Nickels Intermediate School	75.5%	705
Brown Elementary School	75.3%	438
Bethany Based School	75%	12
Countryside Elementary School	74.9%	426
Marshall Elementary School	74.7%	463
Grandville Cummings Elementary School	74.3%	366
Kenowa Hills Central Elementary School	74%	538
West Michigan Aviation Academy	73.2%	600
Kenowa Hills High School	73.1%	876
Forest Hills Transition Center	72.7%	22
East Oakview Elementary School	72.5%	371
Kent City Middle School	72.4%	290
North Park Montessori Academy	72.3%	379
North Oakview Elementary School	71.7%	346
Grandville High School	71.4%	1,719
Grandville Century Park Learning Center	71.3%	411
Northern High School	70.7%	1,088
Ada Vista Elementary School	70.6%	446
Orchard View Elementary School	70.4%	439
Dutton Elementary School	70%	317
Northview High School	69.4%	1,078
Highlands School	69.2%	445
Grandville Central Elementary School	68.7%	201
West Oakview Elementary School	68.3%	240
Kent City High School	67.9%	383
Crossroads Middle School	67.8%	472
Grandville South Elementary School	67.6%	287
Collins Elementary School	67.4%	356
Northern Hills Middle School	67%	515
Duncan Lake Transitions Program	66.7%	3
Grandville Middle School	66.5%	850
Northern Trails 5-6 School	66.5%	520
Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center	66.2%	287
Kenowa Hills Middle School	65.3%	634
Grand Rapids Montessori Academy	65%	297
CA Frost Environmental Science Academy Elementary	64.3%	476
Grandville Grand View Elementary School	64%	406
Northview Next Learning Center	61%	136
Grandville West Elementary School	60.2%	191
Ridgemoor Park Montessori	59.5%	131
West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science	59.2%	666
Community Transition Campus	58.7%	346
City Middle-High School	58.6%	955
Grandville East Elementary School	58%	207
Cross Creek Charter Academy	57.6%	809
Comstock Park High School	57.3%	522
Lincoln School	57.3%	131
Meadow Brook Elementary School	57.1%	431
Pine Island Elementary School	56.7%	379
Northview Next Career Center	56.3%	32
Alpine Elementary School	56.3%	323
Lincoln Developmental Center	54.3%	94
Mill Creek Middle School	53.8%	385
Kent Education Center - Oakleigh	53.1%	32
Kent Education Center - Beltline	51%	49
Grandville Education Center	50%	22
Kenowa Hills Pathways High School	48.5%	99
Center for Economicology	48.3%	60
Stoney Creek Elementary School	47.7%	432
Kent Intermediate School District Deaf and Hard of Hearing	47.5%	61
Walker Charter Academy	47.4%	711
Grand Rapids Public Museum High School	46.8%	267
Grand Rapids Montessori Middle-High School	46.7%	184
Comstock Park Flex Academy	45.5%	33
Vanguard Charter Academy	43.3%	765
Pine Grove Learning Center	42.7%	103
NexTech High School	40.3%	144
Congress Elementary School	39.7%	237
CA Frost Environmental Science Academy Middle High School	39.5%	309
Aberdeen Academy	37.3%	241
Southwood Elementary School	36.1%	302
Coit Creative Arts Academy	35.4%	246
Oriole Park Elementary School	34.7%	277
Explorer Elementary School	33.8%	556
Grand Rapids Public Museum Middle School	32.6%	175
Excel Charter Academy	31%	791
Knapp Charter Academy	29.4%	398
Shawmut Hills School	28.8%	267
Grand Rapids Learning Center	25.6%	39
Wyoming Junior High School	25.3%	584
Discovery Elementary School	24.6%	674
East Kentwood High School	24.4%	2,068
Crossroads Alternative High School	24.1%	224
Townline Elementary School	24.1%	320
Pinewood Middle School	24%	842
Crestwood Middle School	23.3%	700
Lighthouse Academy - Waalkes	23.3%	73
Wyoming Intermediate School	23.1%	579
East Kentwood Freshman Campus	22.9%	742
Glenwood Elementary School	22.7%	543
Endeavor Elementary School	22.6%	553
Palmer School	22.5%	187
Wyoming High School	22.2%	1,273
Lighthouse Academy - South Campus	22%	214
Brookside Elementary School	21.3%	254
Wellspring Preparatory High School	21%	267
West Elementary School	20.7%	468
Brookwood Elementary School	20.3%	370
Parkview Elementary School	20.3%	296
PrepNet Virtual Academy	19.1%	1,080
Grand River Preparatory High School	18.4%	635
West Kelloggsville School	18.2%	253
Union High Transition	18%	50
Bowen Elementary School	17.6%	357
Meadowlawn Elementary School	17.1%	339
Valleywood Middle School	17%	541
54th Street Academy	17%	94
Gladiola Elementary School	16.9%	290
Challenger Elementary School	16.9%	413
Kelloggsville Middle School	15.8%	475
Ottawa High Transition	14.3%	14
Lighthouse Academy - the Pier	14.3%	7
Kelloggsville High School	14.1%	595
Westwood Middle School	13.6%	176
West Godwin Elementary School	13%	393
Sibley School	13%	308
Central Kelloggsville Elementary School	12.6%	494
Harrison Park Academy	12.3%	708
Godwin Heights Middle School	12.3%	382
Ken-O-Sha Park Elementary School	11.9%	118
Mulick Park Elementary School	11.7%	264
Riverside Middle School	11.5%	227
North Godwin Elementary School	11.3%	400
Southeast Kelloggsville School	11.1%	287
Kent Hills Elementary School	10%	370
New Branches Charter Academy	9.9%	345
Innovation Central High School	9.6%	386
Ridge Park Charter Academy	9.5%	507
Godwin Heights Learning Center	9.3%	97
Alger Middle School	8.9%	314
Southeast Career Pathways	8.5%	106
Union High School	7.8%	881
Lee High School	7.8%	537
Campus Elementary School	7.6%	210
Covenant House Academy Grand Rapids	7.5%	226
Vista Charter Academy	7.5%	641
Ottawa Hills High School	7.5%	385
Godfrey Elementary School	7.4%	325
Southwest Elementary Academia Bilingue	7.1%	661
Lee Middle School	6.9%	346
Sherwood Global Studies Academy	6.6%	121
Godwin Heights Senior High School	6.4%	656
Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy	5.9%	494
East Lee Campus	5.7%	88
Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center	5.1%	355
Martin Luther King Leadership Academy	4.7%	299
River City Scholars Charter Academy	4.2%	286
Burton Elementary School	3.6%	365
Burton Middle School	2.7%	488
Dickinson Academy	2.2%	224
Buchanan Elementary School	2.1%	379
Cesar E. Chavez Elementary School	1.6%	437
Newcomers Community School	1.3%	157
Gerald R. Ford Academic Center	0.9%	213
Gerald Dawkins Academy	0.7%	152
William C. Abney Academy Elementary	0.7%	273
Southwest Middle-High Academia Bilingue	0.5%	378
Hope Academy of West Michigan	0.4%	284