LANSING, MI (WTVB) – While state officials say enrollment is again down in K-12 public schools across Michigan, there are several school districts in Branch County that have seen their numbers go up in the past year.
According to the Michigan Department of Education, fewer than 1.37 million public school students, excluding preschoolers, were counted statewide last fall. That’s a half-percent fall from K-12 enrollment for 2023-24, 5.4% fewer than five years ago before the COVID-19 pandemic, and 15.3% fewer than 20 years ago.
During the October 2024 Count Day, three out of five buildings for the Coldwater Community Schools showed an increase. Coldwater High School was up 7.4% with 981 students, while Jefferson Elementary was up 3.3% and Max Larsen Elementary was up 3.8% from the year earlier.
The state numbers show Lakeland Elementary was down 4.6% and Legg Middle School was down just 1.6%.
Bronson Community Schools showed a slight increase at all three of their buildings, with the Junior/Senior High School up 1.3% to 530 students, with Anderson Elementary up 2.9% and Ryan Elementary up 1/9%
Quincy Community Schools showed a 4.2% increase at their middle school, with declines at the high school (5.7%) and Jennings Elementary (4.4%)
Union City Elementary saw a 2.9% increase while enrollment was down 4.7% at the high school and 3.9% at the middle school.
Pansophia Academy in Coldwater showed an increase of 8.9% from 2023 to 2024.
The spring 2024-25 Count Day was February 12. It will be combined with the October data to help calculate how much school districts will receive in per-student funding from the state.
Department of Education officials say the steady decline in the number of students counted statewide persists across every grade level except preschoolers.
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