Benton Harbor High School

Public, Magnet 9-12

870 Colfax Ave
Benton Harbor, MI 49022-7409

(269) 605-1200

District: Benton Harbor Area Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $20,136

Feeder schools for Benton Harbor High School:

Elementary:	Discovery Enrichment Center
	Fair Plain East Elementary
	Martin Luther King Junior Elementary
Middle:	Fair Plain Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 34.2

Number of students: 495

Racial breakdown:

African American:

94.9%

Hispanic:

2.6%

Two or more races:

1.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 97.2%

See top rated Michigan public schools

Compare Benton Harbor High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Benton Harbor High School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2018 the calculated Average Standard Score was 3.56. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Benton Harbor High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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 (94.9%), Hispanic (2.6%), two or more races (1.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 97.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Benton Harbor High School is 34.2. (See more...)

Compare Benton Harbor High School employs 14.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Benton Harbor High School is $20,136.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Benton Harbor High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Benton Harbor High School.

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Rank History for Benton Harbor High School

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Rank History for all students at Benton Harbor High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	3.90	668^th	705	5.2%
2007	7.72	696^th	767	9.3%
2008	8.25	671^st	750	10.5%
2009	5.48	718^th	754	4.8%
2010	6.89	711^th	765	7.1%
2011	5.54	740^th	784	5.6%
2012	8.58	721^st	773	6.7%
2013	8.04	752^nd	805	6.6%
2014	6.33	758^th	799	5.1%
2015	14.22	709^th	832	14.8%
2016	6.48	767^th	852	10.0%
2017	5.89	738^th	835	11.6%
2018	3.56	802^nd	824	2.7%

See the entire list of Michigan High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Benton Harbor High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	3.30	740^th	755	2.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Benton Harbor High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	3.65	679^th	710	4.4%

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

Rank History for African American students at Benton Harbor High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	10.97	235^th	254	7.5%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for African American 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a student
Thursday, June 1, 2017

I am a former BHHS student from the 50s / 60s. I was well prepared in mathematics and physics (my college majors) but totally unprepared in English grammar / composition and the social sciences. Because I was so poorly prepared in English grammar / composition, I had to take Freshman English over three times in college!!

BHHS was a mediocre high school at best in the 50s / 60s in preparing students for college and work life. In spite of this mediocre preparation, I became a software engineer and achieved two graduate degrees including all PhD coursework in my field by hard work and perseverance to overcome this poor public school education.

I see that much as not changed in the intervening 50 years. I also understand many students come from disadvantaged backgrounds as was the case when I was in high school. BHHS cheated and is cheating its current students by poor preparation for further education, jobs and careers as it did many of us in the 50s / 60s. Winning state basketball championships does not prepare students for life!

My advice to BHHS graduates: get a job after graduation and enroll in the local community college to plug the academic holes left by the Benton Harbor Public School system. This advice is based on my own personal educational experience! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Benton Harbor High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	265	1361	1	7	6	n/a	n/a	-129	1511
1989	252	1441	0	13	2	n/a	n/a	-164	1544
1990	184	1299	0	6	2	n/a	n/a	-127	1364
1991	192	1288	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	1488
1992	212	1246	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	1463
1993	192	1315	0	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	1518
1994	195	1303	0	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	1513
1995	131	1298	1	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	1445
1996	131	1298	1	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	1445
1997	114	1256	1	20	0	n/a	n/a	0	1391
1998	99	1095	1	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	1211
1999	88	1157	0	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	1259
2000	76	1131	0	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	1223
2001	58	1142	0	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	1209
2002	40	1225	0	20	0	n/a	n/a	0	1285
2003	40	1225	0	20	0	n/a	n/a	0	1285
2004	32	1284	0	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	1326
2005	18	1236	0	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	1266
2006	10	731	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	1	746
2007	8	703	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	714
2008	15	755	1	4	n/a	n/a	n/a	1	776
2009	17	722	1	6	0	n/a	n/a	2	748
2010	29	828	1	13	0	n/a	n/a	2	873
2011	14	823	0	16	0	0	9	0	862
2012	15	737	0	17	0	0	1	0	770
2013	12	841	2	17	0	0	3	0	875
2014	7	621	0	28	0	0	7	0	663
2015	7	545	0	20	0	0	8	0	580
2016	11	561	0	21	2	0	9	0	604
2017	11	579	0	13	0	0	10	0	613
2018	9	590	0	15	0	0	11	0	625
2019	5	585	0	8	0	0	13	0	611
2020	1	532	0	7	0	1	11	0	552
2021	4	516	0	6	0	1	13	0	540
2022	9	446	1	7	1	1	10	0	475
2023	4	470	0	13	1	0	7	0	495

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 Benton Harbor High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1511	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	1544	n/a	n/a	33
1990	1364	93.0	14.6	38.6
1991	1488	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	1463	n/a	n/a	37.9
1993	1518	n/a	0.0	42.6
1994	1513	72.0	21.0	51.8
1995	1445	72.0	20.1	60.8
1996	1445	72.0	20.1	60.8
1997	1391	66.0	21.1	61.9
1998	1211	71.0	17.1	53.6
1999	1259	71.0	17.7	57.3
2000	1223	95.0	12.9	55.4
2001	1209	50.0	24.2	72
2002	1285	56.0	22.9	42.9
2003	1285	56.0	22.9	42.9
2004	1326	2.0	663.0	76.7
2005	1266	55.0	23.0	78.3
2006	746	40.0	18.7	90.6
2007	714	47.0	15.2	78
2008	776	52.0	14.9	87.6
2009	748	50.0	15.0	89.7
2010	873	51.0	17.1	89.8
2011	862	51.6	16.6	90.8
2012	770	42.0	18.3	91.2
2013	875	50.6	17.2	90.4
2014	663	44.8	14.7	87.9
2015	580	35.0	16.5	75.9
2016	604	32.0	18.8	78.8
2017	613	26.6	23.0	63.6
2018	625	17.7	35.2	75.2
2019	611	23.9	25.4	77.9
2020	552	19.9	27.6	95.3
2021	540	23.0	23.4	100
2022	475	25.0	19.0	97.1
2023	495	14.4	34.2	97.2

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 Benton Harbor High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1511	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	1544	n/a	n/a	33
1990	1364	93.0	14.6	38.6
1991	1488	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	1463	n/a	n/a	37.9
1993	1518	n/a	0.0	42.6
1994	1513	72.0	21.0	51.8
1995	1445	72.0	20.1	60.8
1996	1445	72.0	20.1	60.8
1997	1391	66.0	21.1	61.9
1998	1211	71.0	17.1	53.6
1999	1259	71.0	17.7	57.3
2000	1223	95.0	12.9	55.4
2001	1209	50.0	24.2	72
2002	1285	56.0	22.9	42.9
2003	1285	56.0	22.9	42.9
2004	1326	2.0	663.0	76.7
2005	1266	55.0	23.0	78.3
2006	746	40.0	18.7	90.6
2007	714	47.0	15.2	78
2008	776	52.0	14.9	87.6
2009	748	50.0	15.0	89.7
2010	873	51.0	17.1	89.8
2011	862	51.6	16.6	90.8
2012	770	42.0	18.3	91.2
2013	875	50.6	17.2	90.4
2014	663	44.8	14.7	87.9
2015	580	35.0	16.5	75.9
2016	604	32.0	18.8	78.8
2017	613	26.6	23.0	63.6
2018	625	17.7	35.2	75.2
2019	611	23.9	25.4	77.9
2020	552	19.9	27.6	95.3
2021	540	23.0	23.4	100
2022	475	25.0	19.0	97.1
2023	495	14.4	34.2	97.2

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 Benton Harbor High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$3,465 (24.9%)	$10,456 (75.1%)	$13,921
2020	$3,134 (23.1%)	$10,455 (76.9%)	$13,589
2021	$6,196 (45.2%)	$7,526 (54.8%)	$13,722
2022	$7,577 (43.7%)	$9,752 (56.3%)	$17,329
2023	$12,464 (61.9%)	$7,672 (38.1%)	$20,136

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Benton Harbor High School

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.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	611	495	19%
African American	585	470	19.7%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	8	13	62.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	5	4	20%
Two or More Races	13	7	46.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	77.9%	97.2%	19.3%

Schools Near Benton Harbor High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (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	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	M-Step Science 11th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Benton Harbor High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	870 Colfax Ave	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Benton Harbor Area Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(269) 605-1200	495	14	34.2	97.2%	4 (0.8%)	470 (94.9%)	13 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.4%)								(n/a)				3.8	$20,136	$12,464	$7,672
Bridge Academy of Southwest Michigan	Public, Charter	9-12	499 W Main St	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Bridge Academy of Southwest Michigan	Yes	No	No	Yes	(269) 927-1064	92	8	10.8	90.2%	23 (25.0%)	56 (60.9%)	10 (10.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.2%)								(n/a)				25.0	$11,135	$1,381	$9,753
St Joseph High School	Public	9-12	2521 Stadium Dr	Saint Joseph	49085	Berrien County	St. Joseph Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 926-3200	988	49	20.0	25.9%	744 (75.3%)	93 (9.4%)	59 (6.0%)	47 (4.8%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	42 (4.3%)	90	60^th of 743 public high schools	91.9%		85.4	83^rd of 735 public high schools	88.7%	23	75.6	50.2	50.9	57.9	$14,207	$570	$13,636
Lakeshore High School	Public	9-12	5771 Cleveland Ave	Stevensville	49127	Berrien County	Lakeshore School District (Berrien)	No	No	No	No	(269) 428-1402	856	49	17.5	29.8%	685 (80.0%)	45 (5.3%)	72 (8.4%)	31 (3.6%)	6 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	16 (1.9%)	87.3	74^th of 743 public high schools	90.0%		82.4	102^nd of 735 public high schools	86.1%	28	66.8	43.8	53.4	58.9	$15,969	$1,046	$14,923
Coloma High School	Public	9-12	300 W Saint Joseph St	Coloma	49038	Berrien County	Coloma Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 468-2400	369	18	20.2	68.3%	241 (65.3%)	36 (9.8%)	66 (17.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.0%)	33.1	485^th of 743 public high schools	34.7%		21.2	578^th of 735 public high schools	21.4%	93	51.2	15.9	25.6	23.2	$14,937	$1,936	$13,001
Eau Claire High School	Public	9-12	7450 Hochberger Rd	Eau Claire	49111	Berrien County	Eau Claire Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 461-6997	190	11	17.6	90.0%	63 (33.2%)	46 (24.2%)	70 (36.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (5.8%)	48.4	353^rd of 743 public high schools	52.5%		28.1	534^th of 735 public high schools	27.3%	181	34.5		37.9	41.4	$15,362	$1,766	$13,596
WAY Eau Claire	Public	9-12	6295 W Main St	Eau Claire	49111	Berrien County	Eau Claire Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 461-3121	26	1	52.0	80.8%	16 (61.5%)	5 (19.2%)	4 (15.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.8%)								(n/a)					$11,975	$1,351	$10,624
WAY Watervliet High School	Public	9-12	450 E Saint Joseph St	Watervliet	49098	Berrien County	Watervliet School District	No	No	No	No	(269) 463-0897	95	2	47.5	72.6%	69 (72.6%)	5 (5.3%)	14 (14.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.2%)	14.4	635^th of 743 public high schools	14.5%					(n/a)	21.7		17.4	21.7	$10,657	$1,548	$9,109
Watervliet Senior High School	Public	9-12	450 E Saint Joseph St	Watervliet	49098	Berrien County	Watervliet School District	No	No	No	No	(269) 463-0734	393	21	18.7	61.3%	284 (72.3%)	12 (3.1%)	69 (17.6%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.4%)	52.1	327^th of 743 public high schools	56.0%		61.8	242^nd of 735 public high schools	67.1%	85	57.5	24.7	24.7	43.8	$13,951	$1,531	$12,420
Bridgman High School	Public	9-12	9964 Gast Rd	Bridgman	49106	Berrien County	Bridgman Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 466-0223	264	21	12.5	33.7%	229 (86.7%)	7 (2.7%)	13 (4.9%)	7 (2.7%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.3%)	98	12^th of 743 public high schools	98.4%		97.1	16^th of 735 public high schools	97.8%	4	82.0	63.9	68.9	70.5	$19,271	$871	$18,401

Frequently Asked Questions about Benton Harbor High School

What schools feed into Benton Harbor High School?

Benton Harbor High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Discovery Enrichment Center
Elementary : Fair Plain East Elementary
Elementary : Martin Luther King Junior Elementary
Middle : Fair Plain Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Benton Harbor High School?

Students at Benton Harbor High School are 95% African American, 3% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races.

How many students attend Benton Harbor High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 495 students attended Benton Harbor High School.

What district is Benton Harbor High School in?

Benton Harbor Area Schools

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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.

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