South Kent News

There were 240 American Indian students enrolled in Kent County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 4% 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, American Indian students comprised 0.3% of the student body to be the second least represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 222 schools in Kent County, PrepNet Virtual Academy and West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science recorded the largest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of eight 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 American Indian students enrolment	Total enrollment
Pine Grove Learning Center	2.9%	103
Grand Rapids Learning Center	2.6%	39
CA Frost Environmental Science Academy Middle High School	1.9%	309
Goodwillie Environmental School	1.9%	103
Meadowlawn Elementary School	1.5%	339
Dickinson Academy	1.3%	224
Crossroads Alternative High School	1.3%	224
West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science	1.2%	666
Coit Creative Arts Academy	1.2%	246
Aberdeen Academy	1.2%	241
Shawmut Hills School	1.1%	267
Palmer School	1.1%	187
East Lee Campus	1.1%	88
North Park Montessori Academy	1.1%	379
Grand Rapids Montessori Middle-High School	1.1%	184
Godwin Heights Learning Center	1%	97
Kenowa Hills Pathways High School	1%	99
River City Scholars Charter Academy	1%	286
Lincoln School	0.8%	131
Appleview Elementary School	0.8%	517
Ridgemoor Park Montessori	0.8%	131
Walker Charter Academy	0.8%	711
West Godwin Elementary School	0.8%	393
Emmons Lake Elementary School	0.8%	377
Zinser Elementary School	0.7%	443
Grandville Grand View Elementary School	0.7%	406
Grand Rapids Montessori Academy	0.7%	297
Grand Rapids Public Museum High School	0.7%	267
Parkview Elementary School	0.7%	296
Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center	0.7%	287
PrepNet Virtual Academy	0.7%	1,080
Murray Lake Elementary School	0.7%	433
Kettle Lake Elementary School	0.6%	349
Grand Rapids Public Museum Middle School	0.6%	175
Townline Elementary School	0.6%	320
West Elementary School	0.6%	468
Valleywood Middle School	0.6%	541
Kenowa Hills Central Elementary School	0.6%	538
Brookwood Elementary School	0.5%	370
Knapp Charter Academy	0.5%	398
Byron Center Charter School	0.5%	199
Grandville West Elementary School	0.5%	191
Orchard View Elementary School	0.5%	439
East Oakview Elementary School	0.5%	371
Cedar Trails Elementary School	0.5%	431
Innovation Central High School	0.5%	386
City Middle-High School	0.5%	955
Grandville Middle School	0.5%	850
Explorer Elementary School	0.5%	556
Kenowa Hills High School	0.5%	876
Wyoming Intermediate School	0.5%	579
West Kelloggsville School	0.4%	253
Cedar Springs High School	0.4%	952
Northview High School	0.4%	1,078
Brookside Elementary School	0.4%	254
Congress Elementary School	0.4%	237
Covenant House Academy Grand Rapids	0.4%	226
Harrison Park Academy	0.4%	708
Sparta Middle School	0.4%	503
Sand Lake Elementary School	0.4%	780
Kelloggsville Middle School	0.4%	475
Mulick Park Elementary School	0.4%	264
Byron Center High School	0.3%	1,387
Grandville Cummings Elementary School	0.3%	366
Sibley School	0.3%	308
Alger Middle School	0.3%	314
Kent City Middle School	0.3%	290
Southeast Kelloggsville School	0.3%	287
Collins Elementary School	0.3%	356
Rockford Spanish Immersion	0.3%	307
Sparta Senior High School	0.3%	778
East Kentwood Freshman Campus	0.3%	742
Crestwood Middle School	0.3%	700
Duncan Lake Middle School	0.3%	696
Kraft Meadows Intermediate School	0.3%	703
Community Transition Campus	0.3%	346
Robert L. Nickels Intermediate School	0.3%	705
Caledonia Elementary School	0.3%	378
Alpine Elementary School	0.3%	323
Godwin Heights Middle School	0.3%	382
Burton Elementary School	0.3%	365
East Grand Rapids High School	0.3%	908
Cesar E. Chavez Elementary School	0.2%	437
Wyoming Junior High School	0.2%	584
Endeavor Elementary School	0.2%	553
Beach Elementary School	0.2%	445
Alto Elementary School	0.2%	417
Northern Trails 5-6 School	0.2%	520
CA Frost Environmental Science Academy Elementary	0.2%	476
Kelloggsville High School	0.2%	595
Godwin Heights Senior High School	0.2%	656
Grandville High School	0.2%	1,719
East Kentwood High School	0.2%	2,068
Caledonia High School	0.2%	1,438
Lowell Senior High School	0.2%	1,058
Wyoming High School	0.2%	1,273
Kenowa Hills Middle School	0.2%	634
Red Hawk Elementary School	0.2%	657
Crestwood Elementary School	0.2%	469
Kent City Elementary School	0.2%	537
Central Middle School	0.2%	488
Central Kelloggsville Elementary School	0.2%	494
Countryside Elementary School	0.2%	426
Ridgeview Elementary School	0.2%	555
Southwest Elementary Academia Bilingue	0.2%	661
Grand River Preparatory High School	0.2%	635
West Michigan Aviation Academy	0.2%	600
Grandville Century Park Learning Center	0.2%	411
Lowell Middle School	0.1%	790
Vanguard Charter Academy	0.1%	765
Discovery Elementary School	0.1%	674
Northern High School	0.1%	1,088
Eastern High School	0.1%	768
Central High School	0.1%	999
Byron Center West Middle School	0%	729
Brown Elementary School	0%	438
Knapp Forest Elementary School	0%	520
Thornapple Elementary School	0%	361
Central Woodlands 5-6 School	0%	462
Rockford High School	0%	1,750
Ada Elementary School	0%	293
Marshall Elementary School	0%	463
Burton Middle School	0%	488
Cedar View Elementary School	0%	466
Kent City High School	0%	383
Belmont Elementary School	0%	277
North Oakview Elementary School	0%	346
Lakeside School	0%	453
Glenwood Elementary School	0%	543
Northern Hills Middle School	0%	515
Excel Charter Academy	0%	791
Eastern Middle School	0%	528
Challenger Elementary School	0%	413
Meadow Brook Elementary School	0%	431
Cross Creek Charter Academy	0%	809
Bowen Elementary School	0%	357
Pinewood Middle School	0%	842
Lakes Elementary School	0%	409
Oriole Park Elementary School	0%	277
Cherry Creek Elementary School	0%	485
Comstock Park High School	0%	522
Creative Technologies Academy	0%	302
Center for Economicology	0%	60
Vista Charter Academy	0%	641
Ken-O-Sha Park Elementary School	0%	118
East Rockford Middle School	0%	788
Pine Island Elementary School	0%	379
North Godwin Elementary School	0%	400
Newcomers Community School	0%	157
Lincoln Developmental Center	0%	94
Grandville Central Elementary School	0%	201
Highlands School	0%	445
Wealthy School	0%	462
Meadow Ridge Elementary School	0%	397
Breton Downs School	0%	451
Sherwood Global Studies Academy	0%	121
Lighthouse Academy - South Campus	0%	214
Gladiola Elementary School	0%	290
New Beginnings Alternative High School	0%	50
Kent Hills Elementary School	0%	370
Lee Middle School	0%	346
Stoney Creek Elementary School	0%	432
Parkside Elementary School	0%	179
Wellspring Preparatory High School	0%	267
Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy	0%	494
Kent Intermediate School District Deaf and Hard of Hearing	0%	61
Forest Hills Transition Center	0%	22
Mill Creek Middle School	0%	385
Buchanan Elementary School	0%	379
Hope Academy of West Michigan	0%	284
Lighthouse Academy - Waalkes	0%	73
Southwest Middle-High Academia Bilingue	0%	378
54th Street Academy	0%	94
Comstock Park Flex Academy	0%	33
Northview Next Learning Center	0%	136
Martin Luther King Leadership Academy	0%	299
Southeast Career Pathways	0%	106
Westwood Middle School	0%	176
Ottawa Hills High School	0%	385
Gerald Dawkins Academy	0%	152
Gerald R. Ford Academic Center	0%	213
Ottawa High Transition	0%	14
Riverside Middle School	0%	227
Grandville Education Center	0%	22
Bethany Based School	0%	12
Northview Next Career Center	0%	32
Grandville East Elementary School	0%	207
John Ball Park Zoo School	0%	58
Duncan Lake Transitions Program	0%	3
Godfrey Elementary School	0%	325
Crossroads Middle School	0%	472
Bushnell Elementary School	0%	253
West Oakview Elementary School	0%	240
NexTech High School	0%	144
Lighthouse Academy - the Pier	0%	7
Ada Vista Elementary School	0%	446
Valley View Elementary School	0%	336
Ridge Park Charter Academy	0%	507
Rockford High School Freshman Center	0%	584
Chandler Woods Charter Academy	0%	741
Union High School	0%	881
Grandville South Elementary School	0%	287
East Grand Rapids Middle School	0%	710
Pine Ridge Elementary School	0%	472
Dutton Elementary School	0%	317
New Branches Charter Academy	0%	345
Southwood Elementary School	0%	302
North Rockford Middle School	0%	908
Roguewood Elementary School	0%	283
Union High Transition	0%	50
Lincoln Heights Elementary School	0%	398
William C. Abney Academy Elementary	0%	273
Unity Alternative School	0%	19
Cannonsburg Elementary School	0%	262
Kent City Alternative High School	0%	23
Blandford School	0%	60
Campus Elementary School	0%	210
Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center	0%	355
Kent Education Center - Oakleigh	0%	32
Lee High School	0%	537
River Valley Academy	0%	37
Kent Education Center - Beltline	0%	49