There were 102,353 students enrolled in Kent County school districts in the 2023-24 school year, 0.5% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.
The county’s data showed that kindergarten had the biggest classes with 8,402 students during the 2023-24 school year, while pre-kindergarten saw the smallest enrollment that year with just 3,715 students.
Countywide, Grand Rapids Public Schools welcomed the most students during the 2023-24 school year.
The main offices of all districts mentioned in the article 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 have widened. Black and Hispanic students’ average math proficiency dropped by 7% in 2022, to 13.5% and 28.2%, respectively.
| District | Total enrollment in 2022-23 | Total enrollment in 2023-24 | % Change from Previous Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids Public Schools | 13,787 | 13,802 | 0.1 |
| Kentwood Public Schools | 9,368 | 9,430 | 0.7 |
| Forest Hills Public Schools | 9,208 | 9,072 | -1.5 |
| Rockford Public Schools | 7,719 | 7,644 | -1 |
| Grandville Public Schools | 5,521 | 5,476 | -0.8 |
| Caledonia Community Schools | 4,613 | 4,628 | 0.3 |
| Byron Center Public Schools | 4,443 | 4,512 | 1.6 |
| Wyoming Public Schools | 3,916 | 3,835 | -2.1 |
| Kent ISD | 3,531 | 3,754 | 6.3 |
| Lowell Area Schools | 3,498 | 3,436 | -1.8 |
| Northview Public Schools | 3,061 | 3,139 | 2.5 |
| Cedar Springs Public Schools | 3,202 | 3,101 | -3.2 |
| Kenowa Hills Public Schools | 3,010 | 2,947 | -2.1 |
| East Grand Rapids Public Schools | 2,946 | 2,941 | -0.2 |
| Sparta Area Schools | 2,433 | 2,413 | -0.8 |
| Kelloggsville Public Schools | 2,272 | 2,233 | -1.7 |
| Godwin Heights Public Schools | 2,026 | 1,993 | -1.6 |
| Comstock Park Public Schools | 1,776 | 1,765 | -0.6 |
| Godfrey-Lee Public Schools | 1,650 | 1,738 | 5.3 |
| Tri County Area Schools | 1,719 | 1,685 | -2 |
| Kent City Community Schools | 1,291 | 1,240 | -4 |
| PrepNet Virtual Academy | 1,220 | 1,136 | -6.9 |
| Cross Creek Charter Academy | 780 | 807 | 3.5 |
| Vanguard Charter Academy | 797 | 791 | -0.8 |
| Excel Charter Academy | 784 | 783 | -0.1 |
| Chandler Woods Charter Academy | 773 | 752 | -2.7 |
| Walker Charter Academy | 698 | 718 | 2.9 |
| West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science | 728 | 669 | -8.1 |
| Vista Charter Academy | 605 | 666 | 10.1 |
| Grand River Preparatory High School | 604 | 634 | 5 |
| West Michigan Aviation Academy | 605 | 608 | 0.5 |
| Ridge Park Charter Academy | 493 | 507 | 2.8 |
| Knapp Charter Academy | 576 | 430 | -25.3 |
| Lighthouse Academy | 349 | 366 | 4.9 |
| New Branches Charter Academy | 358 | 359 | 0.3 |
| Creative Technologies Academy | 323 | 314 | -2.8 |
| Hope Academy of West Michigan | 359 | 314 | -12.5 |
| River City Scholars Charter Academy | 346 | 293 | -15.3 |
| William C. Abney Academy | 347 | 292 | -15.9 |
| Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center | 287 | 285 | -0.7 |
| Wellspring Preparatory High School | 307 | 284 | -7.5 |
| Covenant House Academy Grand Rapids | 230 | 231 | 0.4 |
| Byron Center Charter School | 193 | 190 | -1.6 |
| NexTech High School | 140 | 140 | 0 |
