Is Countryside Academy Elementary a good school?

Countryside Academy Elementary ranks in the bottom 19.5% of Michigan elementary schools.

How many students attend Countryside Academy Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 380 students attended Countryside Academy Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Countryside Academy Elementary?

Students at Countryside Academy Elementary are 50% African American, 36% Hispanic, 10% White, 4% Two or more races.

Countryside Academy Elementary

Summary:

Countryside Academy Elementary is a public charter school in Benton Harbor, Michigan, serving 406 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Countryside Academy District, which is ranked 517 out of 610 districts in Michigan and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Countryside Academy Elementary has a significantly higher percentage of minority students compared to nearby schools, with 51.97% African American and 32.76% Hispanic students, in contrast to the higher percentage of White students at schools like North Elementary School and South Elementary School. The school also consistently performs below the state average in M-Step assessments for English Language Arts, Math, and Science, with only 33.3% of 3rd-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 39.6%. Additionally, Countryside Academy Elementary has a much higher chronic absenteeism rate of 28.3%, compared to the nearby schools' rates ranging from 15.1% to 30.2%.

The school serves a predominantly low-socioeconomic population, with 92.86% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, significantly higher than the nearby schools, which range from 64.98% to 95.86%. These findings suggest that Countryside Academy Elementary faces significant challenges in providing a high-quality education to its students, and that targeted interventions and support are needed to address the underlying issues and improve educational outcomes.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-5

4821 North St
Benton Harbor, MI 49022

(269) 944-3319

District: Countryside Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
1196^th of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,726

Student/teacher ratio: 19.3

Number of students: 380

Racial breakdown:

African American:

50.3%

Hispanic:

35.5%

White:

10.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 90.3%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Countryside Academy Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Countryside Academy Elementary ranks worse than 80.5% of elementary schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.18. (See more...)

Compare Details Countryside Academy Elementary is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2009 the calculated Average Standard Score was 55.23. (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: African American (50.3%), Hispanic (35.5%), White (10%). (See more...)

Compare Details 90.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Countryside Academy Elementary is 19.3. (See more...)

Compare Countryside Academy Elementary employs 19.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Countryside Academy Elementary is $14,726.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Countryside Academy Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Countryside Academy Elementary 1196^th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Countryside Academy Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

Countryside Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Countryside Academy 517^th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Countryside Academy Elementary?

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Rank History for Countryside Academy Elementary

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2007	40.76	1176^th	1565	24.9%
2008	46.32	1100^th	1577	30.2%
2009	43.20	1176^th	1589	26.0%
2010	55.85	942^nd	1552	39.3%
2011	57.80	838^th	1552	46.0%
2012	30.31	1213^th	1566	22.5%
2013	30.46	1182^nd	1563	24.4%
2014	26.16	1211^th	1533	21.0%
2015	16.30	1352^nd	1580	14.4%
2016	23.38	1202^nd	1548	22.4%
2017	14.51	1257^th	1466	14.3%
2018	17.85	1247^th	1448	13.9%
2019	11.75	1256^th	1408	10.8%
2021	9.33	1086^th	1153	5.8%
2022	13.62	1169^th	1344	13.0%
2023	15.53	1229^th	1470	16.4%
2024	18.18	1196^th	1486	19.5%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	37.61	169^th	270	37.4%
2024	36.94	118^th	184	35.9%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	21.61	1167^th	1397	16.5%
2019	18.90	975^th	1134	14.0%
2021	14.22	700^th	749	6.5%
2022	21.71	905^th	1099	17.7%
2023	21.61	1092^nd	1350	19.1%
2024	24.72	1086^th	1381	21.4%

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

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	14.72	1264^th	1443	12.4%
2019	7.31	1130^th	1171	3.5%
2021	2.99	900^th	902	0.2%
2022	9.36	1045^th	1106	5.5%
2023	14.85	1155^th	1321	12.6%
2024	12.12	1209^th	1342	9.9%

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

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	23.57	1131^st	1446	21.8%
2019	15.89	1042^nd	1196	12.9%
2021	10.84	881^st	915	3.7%
2022	24.24	870^th	1139	23.6%
2023	22.42	1033^rd	1334	22.6%
2024	27.38	964^th	1347	28.4%

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

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	34.97	296^th	475	37.7%
2022	30.13	108^th	158	31.6%
2023	30.53	211^th	321	34.3%
2024	36.76	200^th	348	42.5%

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

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	29.65	164^th	222	26.1%
2022	56.76	31^st	86	64.0%
2023	44.33	93^rd	188	50.5%
2024	39.52	106^th	201	47.3%

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

Rank History for elementary school White students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	51.24	616^th	1253	50.8%
2023	44.84	655^th	1198	45.3%

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

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

Rank History for Countryside Academy Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2007	32.42	670^th	823	18.6%
2008	32.31	676^th	839	19.4%
2009	55.23	517^th	847	39.0%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

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

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Countryside Academy Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2005	173	165	1	28	2	n/a	n/a	1	370
2006	148	131	1	32	2	n/a	n/a	1	315
2007	146	120	1	23	2	n/a	n/a	1	293
2008	161	120	2	21	1	n/a	n/a	1	306
2009	151	86	0	22	1	n/a	n/a	1	261
2010	145	68	2	27	1	n/a	n/a	2	245
2011	130	94	1	31	0	1	14	0	271
2012	114	109	1	35	4	0	13	0	276
2013	122	140	0	41	0	1	14	0	318
2014	117	140	1	38	3	0	16	0	315
2015	112	150	1	64	1	0	16	0	344
2016	97	163	1	77	0	0	14	0	352
2017	83	176	2	89	0	0	16	0	366
2018	72	170	3	100	0	0	16	0	361
2019	65	204	2	112	0	0	19	0	402
2020	56	231	1	120	0	0	18	0	426
2021	53	199	1	125	0	0	17	0	395
2022	49	211	1	136	0	0	20	0	417
2023	42	211	1	133	0	0	19	0	406
2024	38	191	0	135	0	0	16	0	380

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 Countryside Academy Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	370	n/a	n/a	n/a
2006	315	0.0	n/a	0
2007	293	1.0	293.0	71.9
2008	306	n/a	n/a	74.1
2009	261	14.8	17.6	76.9
2010	245	15.4	15.9	81.1
2011	271	15.6	17.3	80.8
2012	276	18.4	15.0	83.7
2013	318	16.4	19.3	84.6
2014	315	16.4	19.2	89.8
2015	344	18.0	19.1	85.5
2016	352	18.0	19.5	86.6
2017	366	18.7	19.5	85.8
2018	361	15.9	22.7	86.4
2019	402	20.2	19.8	90
2020	426	21.7	19.5	92.5
2021	395	21.0	18.8	92.9
2022	417	22.2	18.7	89.9
2023	406	18.9	21.4	92.9
2024	380	19.6	19.3	90.3

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 Countryside Academy Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	370	n/a	n/a	n/a
2006	315	0.0	n/a	0
2007	293	1.0	293.0	71.9
2008	306	n/a	n/a	74.1
2009	261	14.8	17.6	76.9
2010	245	15.4	15.9	81.1
2011	271	15.6	17.3	80.8
2012	276	18.4	15.0	83.7
2013	318	16.4	19.3	84.6
2014	315	16.4	19.2	89.8
2015	344	18.0	19.1	85.5
2016	352	18.0	19.5	86.6
2017	366	18.7	19.5	85.8
2018	361	15.9	22.7	86.4
2019	402	20.2	19.8	90
2020	426	21.7	19.5	92.5
2021	395	21.0	18.8	92.9
2022	417	22.2	18.7	89.9
2023	406	18.9	21.4	92.9
2024	380	19.6	19.3	90.3

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 Countryside Academy Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$443 (5.1%)	$8,321 (94.9%)	$8,764
2020	$582 (6.0%)	$9,069 (94.0%)	$9,651
2021	$327 (3.0%)	$10,599 (97.0%)	$10,926
2022	$3,000 (27.2%)	$8,033 (72.8%)	$11,033
2023	$2,829 (19.2%)	$11,897 (80.8%)	$14,726

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Countryside Academy 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 1256^th of 1408 Elementary schools	Ranks 1229^th of 1470 Elementary schools	5.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Countryside Academy Elementary)	26.4	17.9	8.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Countryside Academy)	26.4	17.9	8.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.1	40.9	4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Countryside Academy Elementary)	18.9	23.2	4.3%
3rd Grade Math (Countryside Academy)	18.9	23.2	4.3%
3rd Grade Math (Michigan)	46.7	42.9	3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Countryside Academy Elementary)	33.3	29.8	3.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Countryside Academy)	33.3	29.8	3.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.8	44.3	1.5%
4th Grade Math (Countryside Academy Elementary)	18.2	12.3	5.9%
4th Grade Math (Countryside Academy)	18.2	12.3	5.9%
4th Grade Math (Michigan)	41.8	38.6	3.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Countryside Academy Elementary)	10.9	35.9	25%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Countryside Academy)	10.9	35.9	25%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	46.2	43.9	2.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	402	406	1%
African American	204	211	3.4%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	1	50%
Hispanic	112	133	18.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	65	42	35.4%
Two or More Races	19	19
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	90%	92.9%	2.8%

Schools Near Countryside Academy 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)	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	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 Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Countryside Academy Elementary	Public, Charter	K-5	4821 North St	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Countryside Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(269) 944-3319	380	20	19.3	90.3%	38 (10.0%)	191 (50.3%)	135 (35.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.2%)	18.2	1196^th of 1486 public elementary schools	19.5%		15.5	1229^th of 1470 public elementary schools	16.4%	33		33.3	28.1	22.0		31.5	16.9	6.8	13.6		$14,726	$2,829	$11,897
Riverside School	Public	PK, KG-8	3422 Riverside Rd	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Hagar Township S/D #6	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 849-1343	73	6	13.1	86.3%	39 (53.4%)	18 (24.7%)	10 (13.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (8.2%)	38.7	873^rd of 1486 public elementary schools	41.3%		39	866^th of 1470 public elementary schools	41.1%	7			36.4		36.4		27.3				$13,766	$1,805	$11,961
Coloma Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	262 West St	Coloma	49038	Berrien County	Coloma Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 468-2420	391	21	18.3	75.2%	228 (58.3%)	29 (7.4%)	84 (21.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (11.8%)								(n/a)		16.9				14.6					$14,198	$3,520	$10,678
Coloma Intermediate School	Public	4-5	274a S West St	Coloma	49038	Berrien County	Coloma Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 468-2415	170	8	20.2	75.9%	101 (59.4%)	13 (7.6%)	37 (21.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (11.2%)	16.2	1234^th of 1486 public elementary schools	17.0%		17.8	1195^th of 1470 public elementary schools	18.7%	39			32.9	24.1			17.7	9.6	21.7	6.0	$14,925	$3,070	$11,856
Discovery Enrichment Center	Public	PK-K	465 S Mccord St	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Benton Harbor Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 605-1600	86	12	7.1	89.5%	1 (1.2%)	78 (90.7%)	3 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.7%)								(n/a)											$19,459	$11,781	$7,678
Martin Luther King Junior Elementary	Public	1-3	750 E Britain Ave	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Benton Harbor Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 605-1500	234	22	10.6	94.9%	4 (1.7%)	215 (91.9%)	6 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.4%)								(n/a)		5.4				5.4					$20,118	$13,748	$6,370
South Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	433 Lucinda Ln	Watervliet	49098	Berrien County	Watervliet School District	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 463-0820	347	20	17.1	70.3%	261 (75.2%)	12 (3.5%)	56 (16.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.6%)								(n/a)											$14,194	$2,206	$11,988
Fair Plain East Elementary	Public	4-5	1995 Union Ave	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Benton Harbor Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 605-2400	166	14	11.8	97.0%	6 (3.6%)	144 (86.7%)	9 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.2%)	3.8	1483^rd of 1486 public elementary schools	0.2%		3.2	1470^th of 1470 public elementary schools	0.0%	13			9.6	7.7			4.9		5.6		$21,249	$15,404	$5,845
Mildred C Wells Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	248 9th St	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Mildred C. Wells Preparatory Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(269) 926-2885	215	11	19.5	100.0%	1 (0.5%)	211 (98.1%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	43.8										$12,571	$4,184	$8,387
North Elementary School	Public	3-5	287 West Baldwin Ave	Watervliet	49098	Berrien County	Watervliet School District	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 463-0824	317	19	16.7	69.1%	228 (71.9%)	8 (2.5%)	59 (18.6%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.0%)	39.1	865^th of 1486 public elementary schools	41.8%		41.3	830^th of 1470 public elementary schools	43.5%	35		29.4	43.8	40.2		29.1	35.8	25.2	43.0	15.9	$14,507	$2,358	$12,149

Countryside Academy Elementary

Countryside Academy Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Countryside Academy:

What do you think?

Rank History for Countryside Academy Elementary

Rank History for all elementary school students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Rank History for elementary school White students at Countryside Academy Elementary

Rank History for Countryside Academy Elementary

Enrollment information for Countryside Academy Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Countryside Academy Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Countryside Academy Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Countryside Academy Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Countryside Academy Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Countryside Academy Elementary

Frequently Asked Questions about Countryside Academy Elementary

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