Is Fair Plain Middle School a good school?

Fair Plain Middle School ranks in the bottom 0.1% of Michigan middle schools.

How many students attend Fair Plain Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 249 students attended Fair Plain Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Fair Plain Middle School?

Students at Fair Plain Middle School are 93% African American, 3% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% White.

What high school do graduates of Fair Plain Middle School attend?

Students who attend Fair Plain Middle School usually go on to attend Benton Harbor High School

Fair Plain Middle School

Summary:

Fair Plain Middle School is a public middle school located in Benton Harbor, Michigan, serving 288 students in grades 6-8. The school has a predominantly African American student body, with over 92% of students identifying as such, and it has consistently ranked among the lowest-performing middle schools in the state.

Fair Plain Middle School faces significant challenges, including an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 62.4% to 83.4% over the past 5 school years, and very low academic performance, with proficiency rates in the single digits for most subjects and grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, only 3.8% of 6th graders were proficient in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 37.5%. The school also has a very high percentage of students (over 97%) eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. Despite spending significantly more per student ($20,786 in 2022-2023) compared to the state average and nearby schools, such as Lakeshore Middle School and Upton Middle School, the school's academic outcomes remain poor.

The persistent low performance of Fair Plain Middle School, which has consistently ranked among the lowest-performing middle schools in Michigan for over a decade, suggests deeply entrenched challenges that have not been adequately addressed. The school's overwhelmingly African American student population and its poor performance compared to nearby schools, such as Buchanan Middle School, highlight the need to address systemic inequities and provide targeted support for underserved minority students. Addressing the issues at Fair Plain Middle School will require a comprehensive, evidence-based approach that addresses the root causes of the school's persistent underperformance and ensures that resources are strategically deployed to support the unique needs of the school's students and community.

Detail:

Public 6-8

120 E Napier Ave
Benton Harbor, MI 49022

(269) 605-1400

District: Benton Harbor Area Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
896^th of 897 Michigan Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $20,786

Students who attend Fair Plain Middle School usually attend:

High:

Benton Harbor High School

Feeder schools for Fair Plain Middle School:

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

Student/teacher ratio: 12.7

Number of students: 249

Racial breakdown:

African American:

93.2%

Hispanic:

2.8%

Two or more races:

2.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 96.4%

See top rated Michigan middle schools

Compare Fair Plain Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Fair Plain Middle School ranks worse than 99.9% of middle schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 3.99. (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 (93.2%), Hispanic (2.8%), two or more races (2.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 96.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Fair Plain Middle School is 12.7. (See more...)

Compare Fair Plain Middle School employs 19.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Fair Plain Middle School is $20,786.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Fair Plain Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Fair Plain Middle School 896^th of 897 Michigan public middle schools. (See Fair Plain Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Male students:

African American students:

Average Rating:

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Your rating for Fair Plain Middle School?

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Rank History for Fair Plain Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Fair Plain Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2009	73.88	205^th	847	75.8%
2010	43.08	625^th	851	26.6%
2011	83.21	65^th	858	92.4%
2012	23.79	739^th	900	17.9%
2013	13.36	818^th	919	11.0%
2014	5.73	893^rd	921	3.0%
2015	9.60	839^th	919	8.7%
2016	5.07	880^th	894	1.6%
2018	5.62	837^th	838	0.1%
2023	4.12	881^st	883	0.2%
2024	3.99	896^th	897	0.1%

See the entire list of Michigan Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Fair Plain Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	5.42	812^th	815	0.4%
2023	3.85	825^th	825	0.0%
2024	4.34	834^th	836	0.2%

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

Rank History for Female students at Fair Plain Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	5.13	787^th	794	0.9%

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

Rank History for Male students at Fair Plain Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	5.98	790^th	797	0.9%
2024	3.28	784^th	786	0.3%

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

Rank History for African American students at Fair Plain Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	14.76	358^th	366	2.2%
2023	8.94	309^th	310	0.3%
2024	8.75	299^th	300	0.3%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle 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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a teacher
Sunday, November 13, 2011

Creative Arts/Gifted and Talented Academy has added 7th grade this year(2011-2012 school year) and is scheduled to add 8th grade next year.
The school has had high MEAP scores and exceeds state averages for at least 7 years. The expectations at CAA/GT are high. Staff, students and families recognize the value of family involvement and student success, and work together to ensure students succeed.
Though the district is currently undergoing challenges and loss of students, CAA/GT has continued to increase student population while continuing the high standards and MEAP scores. MEAP Reading average scores for all students, grades 3-6 is 92%. MEAP Math average scores for all students, grades 3-6 is 94%.
This school deserves better than a three star rating! The scores, assessments and outcome of students that receive a CAA/GT education are better than many other neighboring schools and neighboring districts, (and school of choice schools) consistently year after year. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Fair Plain Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	62	87	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	149
1989	61	80	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	141
1990	58	84	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	145
1991	56	95	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	154
1992	49	102	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	154
1993	54	102	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	157
1994	50	105	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	156
1995	45	109	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	154
1996	45	109	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	154
1997	29	113	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	142
1998	33	109	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	143
1999	30	110	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	140
2000	17	119	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	136
2001	13	128	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	141
2002	3	206	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	210
2003	3	206	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	210
2004	6	185	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	192
2005	7	171	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	179
2006	12	152	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	164
2007	9	172	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	181
2008	4	177	1	1	n/a	n/a	n/a	183
2009	7	212	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	220
2010	3	237	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	240
2011	3	245	0	2	0	0	0	250
2012	10	318	0	21	0	2	0	351
2013	17	427	0	13	0	0	6	463
2014	9	410	1	7	0	1	13	441
2015	8	364	0	6	0	4	4	386
2016	10	323	0	5	2	3	3	346
2017	9	442	0	9	0	0	6	466
2018	6	410	0	9	1	0	11	437
2019	8	379	1	8	0	2	5	403
2020	10	361	1	7	0	3	9	391
2021	7	354	0	5	1	2	8	377
2022	4	311	0	5	1	2	8	331
2023	6	266	0	9	1	1	5	288
2024	3	232	0	7	0	1	6	249

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 Fair Plain Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	149	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	141	n/a	n/a	0
1990	145	10.0	14.5	n/a
1991	154	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	154	n/a	n/a	61
1993	157	n/a	0.0	65
1994	156	7.5	20.8	0
1995	154	8.5	18.1	46.1
1996	154	8.5	18.1	46.1
1997	142	8.0	17.8	50.7
1998	143	8.0	17.9	48.3
1999	140	8.0	17.5	46.4
2000	136	12.0	11.3	74.3
2001	141	6.0	23.5	77.3
2002	210	7.0	30.0	81
2003	210	7.0	30.0	81
2004	192	n/a	n/a	81.3
2005	179	12.0	14.9	73.7
2006	164	9.0	18.2	75
2007	181	9.0	20.1	77.3
2008	183	9.0	20.3	98.4
2009	220	17.0	12.9	88.2
2010	240	13.0	18.4	86.3
2011	250	15.0	16.6	91.2
2012	351	17.3	20.2	92.9
2013	463	24.4	18.9	89
2014	441	25.0	17.6	88.4
2015	386	20.0	19.3	81.3
2016	346	13.0	26.6	84.1
2017	466	15.5	30.0	73.8
2018	437	16.0	27.3	82.8
2019	403	14.0	28.7	85.6
2020	391	19.0	20.5	100
2021	377	20.0	18.8	100
2022	331	17.5	18.9	97.6
2023	288	12.5	22.9	97.2
2024	249	19.5	12.7	96.4

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 Fair Plain Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	149	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	141	n/a	n/a	0
1990	145	10.0	14.5	n/a
1991	154	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	154	n/a	n/a	61
1993	157	n/a	0.0	65
1994	156	7.5	20.8	0
1995	154	8.5	18.1	46.1
1996	154	8.5	18.1	46.1
1997	142	8.0	17.8	50.7
1998	143	8.0	17.9	48.3
1999	140	8.0	17.5	46.4
2000	136	12.0	11.3	74.3
2001	141	6.0	23.5	77.3
2002	210	7.0	30.0	81
2003	210	7.0	30.0	81
2004	192	n/a	n/a	81.3
2005	179	12.0	14.9	73.7
2006	164	9.0	18.2	75
2007	181	9.0	20.1	77.3
2008	183	9.0	20.3	98.4
2009	220	17.0	12.9	88.2
2010	240	13.0	18.4	86.3
2011	250	15.0	16.6	91.2
2012	351	17.3	20.2	92.9
2013	463	24.4	18.9	89
2014	441	25.0	17.6	88.4
2015	386	20.0	19.3	81.3
2016	346	13.0	26.6	84.1
2017	466	15.5	30.0	73.8
2018	437	16.0	27.3	82.8
2019	403	14.0	28.7	85.6
2020	391	19.0	20.5	100
2021	377	20.0	18.8	100
2022	331	17.5	18.9	97.6
2023	288	12.5	22.9	97.2
2024	249	19.5	12.7	96.4

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 Fair Plain Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$3,127 (25.6%)	$9,084 (74.4%)	$12,212
2020	$3,788 (29.0%)	$9,280 (71.0%)	$13,068
2021	$6,588 (47.9%)	$7,177 (52.1%)	$13,766
2022	$7,887 (49.0%)	$8,215 (51.0%)	$16,102
2023	$14,633 (70.4%)	$6,153 (29.6%)	$20,786

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Fair Plain Middle 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.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
8th Grade English Language Arts (Fair Plain Middle School)	6.4	11.5	5.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Benton Harbor Area Schools)	8.1	11.5	3.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	61.9	59.7	2.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	403	288	28.5%
African American	379	266	29.8%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	8	9	12.5%
Pacific Islander	2	1	50%
White	8	6	25%
Two or More Races	5	5
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	85.6%	97.2%	11.6%

Schools Near Fair Plain Middle School

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 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th 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
Fair Plain Middle School	Public	6-8	120 E Napier Ave	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Benton Harbor Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 605-1400	249	20	12.7	96.4%	3 (1.2%)	232 (93.2%)	7 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	6 (2.4%)	4	896^th of 897 public middle schools	0.1%		4.1	881^st of 883 public middle schools	0.2%	15	17.0			3.8	6.8			3.3		3.4			$20,786	$14,633	$6,153
Upton Middle School	Public	6-8	800 Maiden Ln	Saint Joseph	49085	Berrien County	St. Joseph Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 926-3400	663	37	18.0	26.2%	485 (73.2%)	62 (9.4%)	42 (6.3%)	33 (5.0%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	38 (5.7%)	90.2	70^th of 897 public middle schools	92.2%		91.1	64^th of 883 public middle schools	92.8%	6	85.3	62.3		56.2	53.4		54.2	50.2		58.6		49.8	$13,432	$515	$12,917
Lakeshore Middle School	Public	6-8	1459 W John Beers Rd	Stevensville	49127	Berrien County	Lakeshore School District (Berrien)	No	No	No	No	(269) 428-1408	609	36	16.8	36.0%	511 (83.9%)	29 (4.8%)	37 (6.1%)	15 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	15 (2.5%)	84.4	102^nd of 897 public middle schools	88.6%		86.7	98^th of 883 public middle schools	88.9%	4	74.8	52.0		54.1	46.9		54.1	57.3		54.0		39.6	$13,207	$1,347	$11,860
Coloma Junior High School	Public	6-8	302 W Saint Joseph St	Coloma	49038	Berrien County	Coloma Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 468-2405	240	15	16.4	73.3%	149 (62.1%)	18 (7.5%)	49 (20.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (9.6%)	37.9	534^th of 897 public middle schools	40.5%		20.9	683^rd of 883 public middle schools	22.7%	149	60.2	26.5		23.0	28.2		16.4	32.1		32.5		19.3	$15,301	$2,295	$13,006
Eau Claire Middle School	Public	6-8	7450 Hochberger Rd	Eau Claire	49111	Berrien County	Eau Claire Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 461-6997	147	8	18.4	91.2%	33 (22.4%)	40 (27.2%)	69 (46.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.4%)	10.9	818^th of 897 public middle schools	8.8%		9.9	807^th of 883 public middle schools	8.6%	11	41.1	10.7		8.7	14.0			6.8		8.2			$11,465	$2,078	$9,388
Berrien Springs Middle School	Public	6-8	502 Middle School Drive	Berrien Springs	49103	Berrien County	Berrien Springs Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 471-2796	431	27	16.0	60.8%	151 (35.0%)	140 (32.5%)	75 (17.4%)	27 (6.3%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.9%)	33 (7.7%)	53.4	355^th of 897 public middle schools	60.4%		58.5	297^th of 883 public middle schools	66.4%	58	65.5	32.6		35.4	37.6		25.3	26.2		43.1		31.9	$15,580	$1,866	$13,714
FC Reed Middle School	Public	5-8	10254 California	Bridgman	49106	Berrien County	Bridgman Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 465-5410	255	21	12.3	38.0%	217 (85.1%)	3 (1.2%)	19 (7.5%)	4 (1.6%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	10 (3.9%)	91.1	66^th of 897 public middle schools	92.6%		87	96^th of 883 public middle schools	89.1%	30	86.4	52.5	55.7	68.9	63.9	44.3	62.3	49.2	51.4	50.0	27.1	51.7	$19,920	$722	$19,197
Watervliet Middle School	Public	6-8	450 E Saint Joseph St	Watervliet	49098	Berrien County	Watervliet School District	No	No	No	No	(269) 463-0780	297	19	15.3	66.0%	214 (72.1%)	4 (1.3%)	58 (19.5%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.1%)	55.6	325^th of 897 public middle schools	63.8%		48.2	410^th of 883 public middle schools	53.6%	85	69.6	37.0		24.8	44.2		22.9	31.4		49.5		32.2	$16,129	$1,983	$14,146
Covert Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	35323 M 140 Hwy	Covert	49043	Van Buren County	Covert Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(269) 764-3739	73	6	11.8	93.2%	11 (15.1%)	10 (13.7%)	45 (61.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (9.6%)	26.8	640^th of 897 public middle schools	28.7%		17.9	720^th of 883 public middle schools	18.5%	80	48.0			20.8	32.0					25.9		11.1	$17,812	$4,054	$13,758
Hartford Middle School	Public	6-8	141 School St	Hartford	49057	Van Buren County	Hartford Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 621-7200	314	15	20.3	86.0%	108 (34.4%)	6 (1.9%)	190 (60.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.2%)	13.4	784^th of 897 public middle schools	12.6%		18.4	715^th of 883 public middle schools	19.0%	69	40.2	6.2		17.6	16.7		10.9	5.1		18.6		12.4	$15,028	$4,812	$10,216

Fair Plain Middle School

Fair Plain Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Average Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Fair Plain Middle School

Rank History for all students at Fair Plain Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Fair Plain Middle School

Rank History for Female students at Fair Plain Middle School

Rank History for Male students at Fair Plain Middle School

Rank History for African American students at Fair Plain Middle School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Fair Plain Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Fair Plain Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Fair Plain Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Fair Plain Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Fair Plain Middle School

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Fair Plain Middle School