Black River Public School Elementary

Q: Is Black River Public School Elementary a good school?

Black River Public School Elementary ranks 500 th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Black River Public School Elementary is a public charter school in Holland, Michigan that serves 395 students from kindergarten to 5th grade, and is part of the highly-ranked Zeeland Public Schools district.

Black River Public School Elementary stands out for its diverse student population, with higher percentages of Hispanic (21.77%) and Asian (4.3%) students compared to nearby schools like New Groningen School and Waukazoo Elementary School. The school consistently performs above the state average in 3rd-5th grade M-Step/English Language Arts assessments, with 63.6% of 5th graders meeting proficiency in 2023-2024, compared to the state average of 44%. Additionally, the school ranked 10th out of 403 Michigan elementary schools for its special education student performance in 2017-2018, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Black River Public School Elementary's overall performance is strong, its low-socioeconomic status (SES) student performance has been more variable, ranking 712th out of 1,381 Michigan elementary schools in 2023-2024 with a 2-star rating, but ranking 278th out of 1,134 schools with a 4-star rating in 2018-2019. This suggests the school has an opportunity to further support its economically disadvantaged students and identify successful strategies from the past to improve outcomes for this population.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-5

513 Columbia Ave
Holland, MI 49423-4809

(616) 355-0055

District: Black River Public School

SchoolDigger Rank:
500^th of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,158

Student/teacher ratio: 17.8

Number of students: 396

Racial breakdown:

White:

63.6%

Hispanic:

21.7%

Two or more races:

9.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 26.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Black River Public School Elementary ranks better than 66.4% of elementary schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.87. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (63.6%), Hispanic (21.7%), two or more races (9.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 26.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Black River Public School Elementary is 17.8. (See more...)

Compare Black River Public School Elementary employs 22.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Black River Public School Elementary is $8,158.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Black River Public School Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Black River Public School Elementary 500^th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Black River Public School Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Black River Public School:

SchoolDigger ranks Black River Public School 61^st of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Black River Public School Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Black River Public School Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	69.64	445^th	1448	69.3%
2019	61.78	488^th	1408	65.3%
2021	65.41	325^th	1153	71.8%
2022	62.50	450^th	1344	66.5%
2023	67.99	424^th	1470	71.2%
2024	63.87	500^th	1486	66.4%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Black River Public School Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	93.49	10^th	403	97.5%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Black River Public School Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	70.26	313^th	1397	77.6%
2019	66.78	278^th	1134	75.5%
2023	55.05	531^st	1350	60.7%
2024	45.30	712^th	1381	48.4%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Black River Public School Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	63.77	513^th	1443	64.4%
2019	50.23	562^nd	1171	52.0%
2021	57.50	322^nd	902	64.3%
2022	48.05	549^th	1106	50.4%
2023	52.68	567^th	1321	57.1%
2024	52.57	583^rd	1342	56.6%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Black River Public School Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	70.34	402^nd	1446	72.2%
2019	64.93	371^st	1196	69.0%
2021	74.90	178^th	915	80.5%
2022	75.93	228^th	1139	80.0%
2023	75.25	275^th	1334	79.4%
2024	66.00	412^th	1347	69.4%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Black River Public School Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	36.22	150^th	222	32.4%
2022	77.10	11^th	86	87.2%
2023	52.24	77^th	188	59.0%
2024	46.57	83^rd	201	58.7%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Black River Public School Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	69.73	348^th	1253	72.2%
2019	63.76	374^th	1128	66.8%
2021	65.08	301^st	1005	70.0%
2022	60.82	404^th	1102	63.3%
2023	61.27	426^th	1198	64.4%
2024	58.57	474^th	1204	60.6%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Black River Public School Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2016	264	3	16	65	1	27	376
2017	263	3	21	75	0	33	395
2018	267	2	21	70	1	35	396
2019	263	4	14	72	1	42	396
2020	268	3	14	79	1	31	396
2021	260	2	18	78	1	36	395
2022	254	3	15	87	1	35	395
2023	254	2	17	86	1	35	395
2024	252	6	14	86	1	37	396

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Black River Public School Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2016	376	21.0	17.9	21
2017	395	21.4	18.4	23
2018	396	22.8	17.3	23.2
2019	396	24.1	16.4	24.7
2020	396	22.1	17.9	24.7
2021	395	23.4	16.8	21.8
2022	395	25.4	15.5	22
2023	395	24.0	16.4	27.6
2024	396	22.2	17.8	26.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Black River Public School Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2016	376	21.0	17.9	21
2017	395	21.4	18.4	23
2018	396	22.8	17.3	23.2
2019	396	24.1	16.4	24.7
2020	396	22.1	17.9	24.7
2021	395	23.4	16.8	21.8
2022	395	25.4	15.5	22
2023	395	24.0	16.4	27.6
2024	396	22.2	17.8	26.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Black River Public School Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$271 (3.9%)	$6,622 (96.1%)	$6,893
2020	$206 (3.1%)	$6,369 (96.9%)	$6,576
2021	$466 (7.0%)	$6,219 (93.0%)	$6,685
2022	$493 (6.3%)	$7,301 (93.7%)	$7,794
2023	$864 (10.6%)	$7,294 (89.4%)	$8,158

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Black River Public School Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 488^th of 1408 Elementary schools	Ranks 424^th of 1470 Elementary schools	5.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Black River Public School Elementary)	70.3	50	20.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Black River Public School)	70.3	50	20.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.1	40.9	4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Black River Public School Elementary)	46.9	36.8	10.1%
3rd Grade Math (Black River Public School)	46.9	36.8	10.1%
3rd Grade Math (Michigan)	46.7	42.9	3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Black River Public School Elementary)	61.2	67.2	6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Black River Public School)	61.2	67.2	6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.8	44.3	1.5%
4th Grade Math (Black River Public School Elementary)	41.8	28.4	13.4%
4th Grade Math (Black River Public School)	41.8	28.4	13.4%
4th Grade Math (Michigan)	41.8	38.6	3.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Black River Public School Elementary)	67.7	76.9	9.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Black River Public School)	67.7	76.9	9.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	46.2	43.9	2.3%
5th Grade Math (Black River Public School Elementary)	32.3	35.4	3.1%
5th Grade Math (Black River Public School)	32.3	35.4	3.1%
5th Grade Math (Michigan)	34.8	31.5	3.3%
5th Grade Social Studies (Black River Public School Elementary)	20	35.4	15.4%
5th Grade Social Studies (Black River Public School)	20	35.4	15.4%
5th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)	17.4	18.6	1.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	396	395	0.3%
African American	4	2	50%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	14	17	21.4%
Hispanic	72	86	19.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	263	254	3.4%
Two or More Races	42	35	16.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	24.7%	27.6%	2.8%

Schools Near Black River Public School Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				PSAT English Language Arts (2024)	PSAT Mathematics (2024)	M-Step English Language Arts (2024)					M-Step Math (2024)					M-Step Science (2024)		M-Step Social Studies (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Black River Public School Elementary	Public, Charter	K-5	513 Columbia Ave	Holland	49423	Ottawa County	Black River Public School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(616) 355-0055	396	22	17.8	26.5%	252 (63.6%)	6 (1.5%)	86 (21.7%)	14 (3.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (9.3%)	63.9	500^th of 1486 public elementary schools	66.4%		68	424^th of 1470 public elementary schools	71.2%	76			47.8	58.5	63.6			38.8	30.8	33.3			54.5		31.8		$8,158	$864	$7,294
Holland Language Academy at Van Raalte	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	461 Van Raalte Ave	Holland	49423	Ottawa County	Holland City School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(616) 494-2601	326	18	17.8	50.6%	113 (34.7%)	3 (0.9%)	197 (60.4%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.1%)	33	971^st of 1486 public elementary schools	34.7%		49.6	695^th of 1470 public elementary schools	52.7%	276			21.3	38.5	40.0			21.6	25.0	31.7			38.3		13.3		$17,321	$2,390	$14,931
Jefferson	Public	PK, KG-5	282 W 30th St	Holland	49423	Ottawa County	Holland City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 494-5081	277	25	10.9	84.5%	71 (25.6%)	46 (16.6%)	137 (49.5%)	3 (1.1%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.5%)	27.3	1064^th of 1486 public elementary schools	28.4%		25.1	1073^rd of 1470 public elementary schools	27.0%	9			34.2	25.0	42.6			29.7	17.1	10.2			32.7				$19,882	$2,075	$17,807
Vanderbilt Charter Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	301 W 16th St	Holland	49423	Ottawa County	Vanderbilt Charter Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(616) 820-5050	432	29	15.0	80.1%	122 (28.2%)	22 (5.1%)	245 (56.7%)	6 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (8.3%)	68.6	431^st of 1486 public elementary schools	71.0%		66.8	443^rd of 1470 public elementary schools	69.9%	12	82.9	42.9	68.6	57.4	51.9	57.9	41.5	68.6	38.3	32.7	43.2	41.5	32.7	41.2		31.4	$13,325	$1,994	$11,331
Holland Heights	Public	PK, KG-5	856 E 12th St	Holland	49423	Ottawa County	Holland City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 494-2701	249	19	12.8	79.5%	60 (24.1%)	29 (11.6%)	118 (47.4%)	17 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (10.0%)	38	883^rd of 1486 public elementary schools	40.6%		53.7	631^st of 1470 public elementary schools	57.1%	252			31.3	25.0	44.7			34.4	22.2	42.5			32.5				$20,880	$2,857	$18,023
West	Public	PK, KG-5	500 W 24th St	Holland	49423	Ottawa County	Holland City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 494-5080	397	42	9.5	70.0%	171 (43.1%)	39 (9.8%)	146 (36.8%)	20 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	19 (4.8%)	65.9	471^st of 1486 public elementary schools	68.3%		63.4	501^st of 1470 public elementary schools	65.9%	30			47.1	55.7	58.6			45.7	44.3	44.8			48.3		24.1		$26,685	$2,587	$24,098
Woodside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2591 N Division Ave	Holland	49424	Ottawa County	West Ottawa Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 786-1900	455	37	12.3	69.2%	90 (19.8%)	14 (3.1%)	313 (68.8%)	12 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (5.3%)	24.8	1095^th of 1486 public elementary schools	26.3%		25.9	1058^th of 1470 public elementary schools	28.0%	37			33.3	30.2	32.1			28.9	25.3	20.9			23.3		9.3		$15,912	$2,381	$13,531
Eagle Crest Charter Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	11950 Riley St	Holland	49424	Ottawa County	Eagle Crest Charter Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(616) 786-2400	580	39	14.8	71.9%	150 (25.9%)	6 (1.0%)	260 (44.8%)	94 (16.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (12.1%)	55.9	615^th of 1486 public elementary schools	58.6%		77.3	293^rd of 1470 public elementary schools	80.1%	322	58.5	41.5	43.1	46.7	44.9	45.9	66.7	42.4	46.7	31.9	41.0	63.0	42.9	39.6	17.1	24.5	$11,475	$1,028	$10,447
New Groningen School	Public	K-5	10542 Chicago Dr	Zeeland	49464	Ottawa County	Zeeland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 748-3375	534	36	14.8	26.6%	378 (70.8%)	5 (0.9%)	101 (18.9%)	22 (4.1%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	24 (4.5%)	90	112^th of 1486 public elementary schools	92.5%		90.1	112^th of 1470 public elementary schools	92.4%				63.5	57.8	77.8			75.6	50.6	78.9			70.3		43.3		$13,314	$805	$12,509
Waukazoo Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1294 W Lakewood Blvd	Holland	49424	Ottawa County	West Ottawa Public School District	No	No	No	No	(616) 786-1800	438	29	15.3	32.4%	324 (74.0%)	6 (1.4%)	60 (13.7%)	7 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	39 (8.9%)	69.5	414^th of 1486 public elementary schools	72.1%		67.3	435^th of 1470 public elementary schools	70.4%	21			52.6	56.4	59.2			48.1	40.4	42.9			55.1		32.7		$13,831	$1,053	$12,779

Frequently Asked Questions about Black River Public School Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Black River Public School Elementary?

Students at Black River Public School Elementary are 64% White, 22% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 2% African American.

What district is Black River Public School Elementary in?

Black River Public School

Is Black River Public School Elementary a good school?

Black River Public School Elementary ranks 500^th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Black River Public School Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 396 students attended Black River Public School Elementary.

Rate Black River Public School Elementary!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Michigan Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.