Berrien Springs Public Schools

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Berrien Springs, Michigan - 9 schools

An equity score of 43/100 ranks Berrien Springs Public Schools #448 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,580 per pupil, Berrien Springs Public Schools ranks #268 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

4,352
Total Enrollment
9
Schools
$13,580
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Berrien Springs Public Schools operates 9 public schools serving 4,352 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 high, 2 middle, 2 combined, 1 elementary schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Berrien County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,580 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending. See how Michigan compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 32.6% local, 59.6% state, and 7.8% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 43/100, ranked #448 of 707 in Michigan against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 9 schools offering Advanced Placement (2 AP courses district-wide), a 226.3:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 22.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 54.5% White, 21.2% African American, 12.5% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Berrien Springs High School, with a diversity index of 73.0/100.

Its largest campus is Link Learning Virtual Program, enrolling 2,526 students (51% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Berrien Springs Discovery Academy, at 74 students, a 34x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Link Learning Virtual Program accounts for 50.6% of all Berrien Springs Public Schools student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Berrien Springs Public Schools a distant remainder — means Berrien Springs Public Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Berrien Springs Public Schools school enrollment varies 34× across entities

Berrien Springs Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 74 students (lowest) to 2,526 students (highest), a spread of 2,452 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity, the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Berrien Springs Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 62.1% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Berrien Springs Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 226:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Berrien Springs Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 22.3% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Berrien Springs Public Schools is typically wider than the Berrien Springs Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

7.8%
Federal
59.6%
State
32.6%
Local

Funding Equity

43
Equity Score
448 / 707
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 9 schools in Berrien Springs Public Schools.

White 54.5%
Hispanic or Latino 12.5%
African American 21.2%
Asian 2.9%
Multiracial 7.4%
Other 1.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 60.7/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Berrien Springs Public Schools's schools, above the Michigan average of 36.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Berrien Springs High School 73.0
  2. 2 Mars Elementary School 73.0
  3. 3 Berrien Springs Middle School 71.7
  4. 4 Sylvester Elementary School 69.9
  5. 5 Berrien Springs Discovery Academy 60.3

Programs & Resources

1 / 9
Schools with AP
2 AP courses total
226.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
22.3%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Berrien Springs Public Schools

How Berrien Springs Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Van Buren Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Lapeer Community Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Wyandotte School District of the City of Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Lakeview Public Schools (Macomb) Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Byron Center Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Berrien Springs Public Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Michigan

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Compare Berrien Springs Public Schools

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Berrien Springs Public Schools?

Berrien Springs Public Schools has 9 schools, including 4 high, 2 middle, 1 elementary, 2 combined. Total enrollment is 4,352 students.

How much does Berrien Springs Public Schools spend per student?

Berrien Springs Public Schools spends $13,580 per student. The district has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #448 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Berrien Springs Public Schools?

Berrien Springs Public Schools students are 54.5% White, 21.2% African American, 12.5% Hispanic or Latino, 2.9% Asian, averaged across 9 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Berrien Springs Public Schools?

Berrien Springs Public Schools has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #448 out of 707 districts in Michigan.