Is Berrien Springs Discovery Academy a good school?

Berrien Springs Discovery Academy ranks 466 th of 743 Michigan high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Berrien Springs Discovery Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 92 students attended Berrien Springs Discovery Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Berrien Springs Discovery Academy?

Students at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy are 59% White, 17% African American, 16% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian, 1% Pacific Islander.

Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Summary:

Berrien Springs Discovery Academy is a public high school in Berrien Springs, Michigan, serving 85 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Berrien Springs Public Schools district, which is ranked 376 out of 610 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite being part of the Berrien Springs district, Berrien Springs Discovery Academy faces significant challenges compared to nearby high schools. The school has consistently low 4-year graduation rates, ranging from 18.9% to 50.0% over the past 5 years, which is much lower than the 93.4% graduation rate at Berrien Springs High School. Berrien Springs Discovery Academy also has very high dropout rates, reaching as high as 40.5%, and extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, up to 81.2% in 2021-2022. Additionally, the school's test scores on the M-Step and SAT exams are significantly lower than the state averages and nearby high schools, such as Lakeshore High School.

One potential contributing factor to the school's struggles is the high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, ranging from 70.59% to 75.39% over the past 3 years, which is much higher than the nearby high schools. Despite spending more per student ($12,121 in 2022-2023) compared to the state average, Berrien Springs Discovery Academy is underperforming in many key metrics when compared to other schools in the region, such as Buchanan High School and Eau Claire High School. Addressing these challenges will be crucial for improving the educational opportunities and outcomes for the students at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy.

Detail:

Public, Virtual 9-12

242 Sylvester Ave
Berrien Springs, MI 49103

(269) 471-2593

District: Berrien Springs Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
466^th of 743 Michigan High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,121

Student/teacher ratio: 48.4

Number of students: 92

Racial breakdown:

White:

58.7%

African American:

17.4%

Hispanic:

16.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 81.5%

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Compare Berrien Springs Discovery Academy to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

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

Compare Details In 2012 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.79. (See more...)

Compare Details Berrien Springs Discovery Academy ranks worse than 62.7% of high schools in Michigan. It also ranks 2^nd among 4 ranked high schools in the Berrien Springs Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 35.12. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy 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 Berrien Springs Discovery Academy has the smallest high school student body size in the Berrien Springs Public Schools District. Student population at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (58.7%), African American (17.4%), Hispanic (16.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 81.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Berrien Springs Public Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy is 48.4, which is the 2^nd best among 4 high schools in the Berrien Springs Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Berrien Springs Discovery Academy employs 1.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy is $12,121, which is the 2^nd highest among 4 high schools in the Berrien Springs Public Schools District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Berrien Springs Discovery Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Berrien Springs Discovery Academy 466^th of 743 Michigan public high schools. (See Berrien Springs Discovery Academy in the ranking list.)

Berrien Springs Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Berrien Springs Public Schools 376^th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Berrien Springs Discovery Academy?

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Rank History for Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2012	19.79	765^th	900	15.0%

See the entire list of Michigan High School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

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Rank History for all high school students at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	4.72	656^th	705	7.0%
2007	8.61	685^th	767	10.7%
2008	7.92	676^th	750	9.9%
2009	7.25	699^th	754	7.3%
2010	15.62	635^th	765	17.0%
2011	22.21	617^th	784	21.3%
2012	33.73	539^th	773	30.3%
2013	14.25	664^th	805	17.5%
2014	14.06	649^th	799	18.8%
2015	18.87	665^th	832	20.1%
2016	29.19	572^nd	852	32.9%
2017	18.70	592^nd	835	29.1%
2018	25.83	580^th	824	29.6%
2019	12.11	577^th	666	13.4%
2023	22.31	566^th	735	23.0%
2024	35.12	466^th	743	37.3%

See the entire list of Michigan High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	15.00	609^th	755	19.3%
2023	28.70	461^st	614	24.9%
2024	24.76	509^th	654	22.2%

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

Rank History for high school Female students at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	12.23	588^th	710	17.2%

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

Rank History for high school Male students at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	28.05	508^th	707	28.1%
2023	28.14	446^th	611	27.0%
2024	56.75	243^rd	633	61.6%

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

Rank History for high school White students at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	14.65	593^rd	708	16.2%
2024	46.09	329^th	638	48.4%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High 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 Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2002	9	2	0	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	23
2003	9	2	0	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	23
2004	15	6	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	26
2005	24	9	3	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	43
2006	44	10	2	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	73
2007	69	25	1	20	0	n/a	n/a	2	117
2008	87	20	n/a	19	n/a	n/a	n/a	1	127
2009	101	18	0	15	1	n/a	n/a	1	136
2010	122	27	0	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	162
2011	163	30	1	10	4	1	4	0	213
2012	239	27	0	20	4	1	8	0	299
2013	233	85	1	33	4	2	18	0	376
2014	73	13	1	14	0	0	4	0	105
2015	65	17	1	12	0	0	5	0	100
2016	70	24	3	15	2	0	7	0	121
2017	66	17	0	20	0	0	6	0	109
2018	62	13	1	17	1	0	4	0	98
2019	62	51	1	15	1	0	7	0	137
2020	52	76	2	10	1	0	13	0	154
2021	79	79	0	21	1	1	10	0	191
2022	54	14	0	15	0	1	1	0	85
2023	54	15	1	10	0	2	3	0	85
2024	54	16	1	15	0	1	5	0	92

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 Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	23	2.0	11.5	n/a
2003	23	2.0	11.5	n/a
2004	26	2.0	13.0	n/a
2005	43	1.0	43.0	n/a
2006	73	0.0	n/a	0
2007	117	1.0	117.0	33
2008	127	1.3	97.7	39.7
2009	136	2.7	50.4	49.6
2010	162	2.3	70.4	41.4
2011	213	4.3	49.1	38.5
2012	299	3.0	99.6	46.8
2013	376	5.3	70.5	56.6
2014	105	1.0	105.0	53.3
2015	100	1.0	100.0	65
2016	121	0.0	n/a	62
2017	109	2.1	51.9	51.4
2018	98	2.0	49.0	60.2
2019	137	3.0	45.6	61.3
2020	154	3.0	51.3	74.7
2021	191	3.0	63.6	75.4
2022	85	3.0	28.3	70.6
2023	85	4.3	19.6	70.6
2024	92	1.9	48.4	81.5

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 Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	23	2.0	11.5	n/a
2003	23	2.0	11.5	n/a
2004	26	2.0	13.0	n/a
2005	43	1.0	43.0	n/a
2006	73	0.0	n/a	0
2007	117	1.0	117.0	33
2008	127	1.3	97.7	39.7
2009	136	2.7	50.4	49.6
2010	162	2.3	70.4	41.4
2011	213	4.3	49.1	38.5
2012	299	3.0	99.6	46.8
2013	376	5.3	70.5	56.6
2014	105	1.0	105.0	53.3
2015	100	1.0	100.0	65
2016	121	0.0	n/a	62
2017	109	2.1	51.9	51.4
2018	98	2.0	49.0	60.2
2019	137	3.0	45.6	61.3
2020	154	3.0	51.3	74.7
2021	191	3.0	63.6	75.4
2022	85	3.0	28.3	70.6
2023	85	4.3	19.6	70.6
2024	92	1.9	48.4	81.5

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 Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$208 (2.3%)	$8,844 (97.7%)	$9,052
2020	$197 (2.0%)	$9,800 (98.0%)	$9,997
2021	$668 (7.4%)	$8,353 (92.6%)	$9,021
2022	$3,724 (29.1%)	$9,065 (70.9%)	$12,789
2023	$3,591 (29.6%)	$8,530 (70.4%)	$12,121

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

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 577^th of 666 High schools	Ranks 566^th of 735 High schools	9.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Social Studies (Berrien Springs Discovery Academy)	28.6	22.2	6.4%
11th Grade Social Studies (Berrien Springs Public Schools)	26.3	23.9	2.4%
11th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)	46.6	36.1	10.5%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Berrien Springs Discovery Academy)	22.7	27.8	5.1%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Berrien Springs Public Schools)	30.1	31.3	1.2%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Michigan)	55.3	52.2	3.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	137	85	38%
African American	51	15	70.6%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	15	10	33.3%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	62	54	12.9%
Two or More Races	7	3	57.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	61.3%	70.6%	9.3%

Schools Near Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

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)	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	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Science 11th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Berrien Springs Discovery Academy	Public, Virtual	9-12	242 Sylvester Ave	Berrien Springs	49103	Berrien County	Berrien Springs Public Schools	No	No	Yes	No	(269) 471-2593	92	2	48.4	81.5%	54 (58.7%)	16 (17.4%)	15 (16.3%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	5 (5.4%)	35.1	466^th of 743 public high schools	37.3%		22.3	566^th of 735 public high schools	23.0%	100			33.3	15.2		33.3		36.4	$12,121	$3,591	$8,530
Berrien Springs High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	1 Sylvester Ave	Berrien Springs	49103	Berrien County	Berrien Springs Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(269) 471-1748	551	33	16.7	56.8%	244 (44.3%)	139 (25.2%)	92 (16.7%)	35 (6.4%)	2 (0.4%)	5 (0.9%)	34 (6.2%)	57.7	285^th of 743 public high schools	61.6%		74.4	155^th of 735 public high schools	78.9%	130			51.2	20.5		44.5		43.8	$16,626	$1,439	$15,188
Berrien County Juvenile Center	Public	6-12	6414 Deans Hill Rd	Berrien Center	49102	Berrien County	Berrien Regional Educational Service Agency	No	No	No	No	(269) 471-7725	10	4	2.5	70.0%	3 (30.0%)	5 (50.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (20.0%)								(n/a)
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	191	18	10.6	89.0%	61 (31.9%)	38 (19.9%)	83 (43.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.7%)	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, Virtual	9-12	6295 W Main St	Eau Claire	49111	Berrien County	Eau Claire Public Schools	No	No	Yes	No	(269) 461-3121	26	1	26.0	80.8%	17 (65.4%)	1 (3.8%)	5 (19.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (11.5%)								(n/a)									$11,975	$1,351	$10,624
Buchanan High School	Public	8-12	401 W Chicago St	Buchanan	49107	Berrien County	Buchanan Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 695-8403	524	33	16.0	39.1%	457 (87.2%)	19 (3.6%)	10 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (5.7%)	55.5	299^th of 743 public high schools	59.8%		61.3	245^th of 735 public high schools	66.7%	54	76.8	38.4	58.7	22.0	51.5	31.2	42.4	45.9	$14,800	$1,749	$13,051
Lakeshore High School	Public	9-12	5771 Cleveland Ave	Stevensville	49127	Berrien County	Lakeshore School District (Berrien)	No	No	No	No	(269) 428-1402	851	49	17.4	29.3%	692 (81.3%)	48 (5.6%)	64 (7.5%)	30 (3.5%)	3 (0.4%)	3 (0.4%)	11 (1.3%)	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
Niles Community Schools Adult Education	Public	9-12	620 E Main St	Niles	49120	Berrien County	Niles Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 684-4480	13	1	17.3	76.9%	9 (69.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (15.4%)								(n/a)									$17,332	$655	$16,677
Niles Senior High School	Public	9-12	1441 Eagle St	Niles	49120	Berrien County	Niles Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 683-2894	827	41	20.0	50.9%	566 (68.4%)	69 (8.3%)	98 (11.9%)	5 (0.6%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	85 (10.3%)	51.7	331^st of 743 public high schools	55.5%		61.2	246^th of 735 public high schools	66.5%	85			49.7	18.5		42.5		38.5	$13,251	$1,577	$11,674
Niles Cedar Lane	Public	9-12	1 Tyler St	Niles	49120	Berrien County	Niles Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 684-9554	119	6	21.0	78.2%	71 (59.7%)	15 (12.6%)	15 (12.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (12.6%)								(n/a)									$11,862	$655	$11,207

Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Berrien Springs Public Schools:

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Rank History for Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Rank History for Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Rank History for all high school students at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Rank History for high school Female students at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Rank History for high school Male students at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Rank History for high school White students at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Enrollment information for Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Student/Teacher Ratio Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Per Pupil Expenditures for Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Impact of COVID-19 on Berrien Springs Discovery Academy

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Berrien Springs Discovery Academy