Kalamazoo Times

There were 22 Hawaiian students enrolled in Kalamazoo County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 22.2% more than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Kalamazoo County welcomed 34,223 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, Hawaiian students comprised 0.1% of the student body to be the least represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 83 schools in Kalamazoo County, Milwood Magnet School, Edison Environmental Science Academy, Arcadia Elementary School, and Winchell Elementary School recorded the largest enrollment of Hawaiian students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of two 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 Hawaiian students enrolment	Total enrollment
Arcadia Elementary School	0.6%	355
Edison Environmental Science Academy	0.5%	376
Winchell Elementary School	0.4%	465
Indian Lake Elementary School	0.4%	265
Milwood Magnet School	0.3%	731
Comstock Compass High School	0.3%	311
Cooper Elementary School	0.3%	288
Lincoln International Studies School	0.3%	306
Hillside Middle School	0.2%	476
Parkwood-Upjohn Elementary School	0.2%	427
Prairie Ridge Elementary School	0.2%	449
Moorsbridge Elementary School	0.2%	591
Central Elementary School	0.2%	439
Schoolcraft Elementary School	0.2%	583
Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts	0.1%	889
Linden Grove Middle School	0.1%	727
Loy Norrix High School	0.1%	1,785
Portage Northern High School	0.1%	1,194
Parchment North Elementary School	0%	208
Phoenix Alternative High School	0%	220
Washington Writers Academy	0%	260
Milwood Elementary School	0%	362
Vicksburg Middle School	0%	601
Vicksburg High School	0%	724
Greenwood Elementary School	0%	93
Thomas M. Ryan Intermediate School	0%	698
Tobey Elementary School	0%	379
Woodward School for Technology and Research	0%	242
Amberly Elementary School	0%	513
Schoolcraft High School	0%	502
Climax-Scotts Elementary School	0%	234
Spring Valley Center for Exploration	0%	263
Gull Lake Gateway Academy	0%	28
Richland Elementary School	0%	412
Climax-Scotts High School	0%	294
Comstock Elementary School	0%	597
Alamo Elementary School	0%	287
Galesburg-Augusta High School	0%	263
Kalamazoo RESA West Campus - Young Adult Program	0%	199
Parchment Middle School	0%	352
STEM Academy	0%	298
Portage West Middle School	0%	717
Climax-Scotts Virtual Academy	0%	123
Woodland Elementary School	0%	348
Lake Center Elementary School	0%	494
Haverhill Elementary School	0%	378
Gull Lake High School	0%	877
Parchment Innovation Center	0%	119
Kalamazoo Innovative Learning Program	0%	137
Woods Lake Elementary - A Magnet Center for the Arts	0%	501
Parchment High School	0%	412
Angling Road Elementary School	0%	360
Northeastern Elementary School	0%	195
King-Westwood Elementary School	0%	531
Vicksburg Pathways High School	0%	126
Paramount Charter Academy	0%	373
Transition Services	0%	19
Galesburg-Augusta Alternative Education	0%	31
Valley Center School	0%	30
Galesburg-Augusta Middle School	0%	302
Youth Center School	0%	51
Youth Advancement Academy	0%	19
Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital	0%	1
Portage Central High School	0%	1,391
12th Street Elementary School	0%	589
Portage Central Middle School	0%	719
Portage North Middle School	0%	609
Kellogg Elementary School	0%	278
Parchment Northwood Elementary School	0%	178
Sunset Lake Elementary School	0%	465
Indian Prairie Elementary School	0%	169
Comstock Middle School	0%	276
Galesburg-Augusta Primary School	0%	399
Elementary Sol Elementary School	0%	368
WoodsEdge Learning Center	0%	224
Parchment Central Elementary School	0%	289
Portage Community High School	0%	137
Kalamazoo Covenant Academy	0%	194
Oakland Academy	0%	149
Comstock High School	0%	358
Northglade Montessori School	0%	271
Gull Lake Middle School	0%	717
Kalamazoo Central High School	0%	1,613