Sylvester Elementary School

Summary:

Sylvester Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Berrien Springs, Michigan, serving grades 2-5 with a student population of 369. The school is part of the Berrien Springs Public Schools district, which is ranked 376 out of 610 districts in Michigan and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sylvester Elementary's academic performance, as measured by M-Step test scores, is generally below the state and district averages across grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's 3rd-grade English Language Arts proficiency rate was 33.3%, compared to the state average of 39.6% and the district average of 33.8%. The school has also experienced high rates of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 13.9% to 24.1% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, a large proportion of Sylvester Elementary's students, around 70%, are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When compared to other nearby schools, Sylvester Elementary generally performs worse academically, with lower test scores and higher chronic absenteeism rates. For instance, Roosevelt Elementary School in the Lakeshore School District, which is about 9 miles away, consistently outperforms Sylvester Elementary on M-Step assessments. However, Sylvester Elementary's African American and Hispanic students perform relatively better compared to their peers at the school, suggesting the school may be doing a better job of supporting these student populations. Nonetheless, the school's special education students have consistently performed poorly, with the school ranking near the bottom of Michigan elementary schools in this subgroup.


Detail:

Public 2-5

 1 Sylvester Ave
       Berrien Springs, MI  49103-1126


(269) 471-7198

District: Berrien Springs Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
872nd of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,455 Help


Students who attend Sylvester Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Berrien Springs Middle School
High:    Berrien Springs High School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.9 Help
Number of students:  369

Racial breakdown:

White:
43.9%
African American:
28.7%
Hispanic:
13.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  74% Help


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 Compare Sylvester Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Sylvester Elementary School ranks worse than 58.7% of elementary schools in Michigan. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 38.78. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
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Compare Details Student population at Sylvester Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (43.9%), African American (28.7%), Hispanic (13.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 74% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sylvester Elementary School is 13.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Sylvester Elementary School employs 26.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sylvester Elementary School is $15,455.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sylvester Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Sylvester Elementary School 872nd of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Sylvester Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Berrien Springs Public Schools:

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


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Your rating for Sylvester Elementary School?

Rank History for Sylvester Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Sylvester Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 51.03 952nd 1545 38.4%
2007 65.25 582nd 1565 62.8%
2008 60.09 770th 1577 51.2%
2009 59.66 804th 1589 49.4%
2010 48.37 1097th 1552 29.3%
2011 59.77 794th 1552 48.8%
2012 70.57 433rd 1566 72.3%
2013 69.48 448th 1563 71.3%
2014 62.96 577th 1533 62.4%
2015 60.95 610th 1580 61.4%
2016 54.19 721st 1548 53.4%
2017 46.54 745th 1466 49.2%
2018 42.95 899th 1448 37.9%
2019 26.16 1036th 1408 26.4%
2021 25.85 870th 1153 24.5%
2022 35.31 835th 1344 37.9%
2023 33.79 940th 1470 36.1%
2024 38.78 872nd 1486 41.3%
See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Sylvester Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 35.95 46th 78 41.0%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Sylvester Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.54 105th 270 61.1%
2019 49.29 61st 117 47.9%
2021 64.44 15th 42 64.3%
2022 45.18 52nd 98 46.9%
2023 37.14 113th 180 37.2%
2024 45.71 102nd 184 44.6%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Sylvester Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.30 297th 403 26.3%
2023 10.42 194th 195 0.5%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sylvester Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.97 671st 1397 52.0%
2019 36.39 759th 1134 33.1%
2021 28.82 576th 749 23.1%
2022 44.24 591st 1099 46.2%
2023 37.30 848th 1350 37.2%
2024 37.60 857th 1381 37.9%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sylvester Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.72 834th 1443 42.2%
2019 24.53 917th 1171 21.7%
2021 21.27 765th 902 15.2%
2022 30.51 800th 1106 27.7%
2023 34.65 849th 1321 35.7%
2024 31.97 901st 1342 32.9%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sylvester Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.33 947th 1446 34.5%
2019 26.46 907th 1196 24.2%
2021 22.78 754th 915 17.6%
2022 31.63 783rd 1139 31.3%
2023 25.21 982nd 1334 26.4%
2024 34.89 858th 1347 36.3%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Sylvester Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.27 166th 475 65.1%
2019 37.26 129th 212 39.2%
2021 47.51 24th 51 52.9%
2022 60.66 46th 158 70.9%
2023 45.88 142nd 321 55.8%
2024 50.20 140th 348 59.8%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sylvester Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.62 101st 222 54.5%
2019 59.11 27th 86 68.6%
2021 69.84 8th 30 73.3%
2022 68.52 19th 86 77.9%
2023 44.95 90th 188 52.1%
2024 48.83 77th 201 61.7%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Sylvester Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.82 699th 1253 44.2%
2019 31.56 803rd 1128 28.8%
2021 32.51 699th 1005 30.4%
2022 48.89 561st 1102 49.1%
2023 39.24 748th 1198 37.6%
2024 46.90 624th 1204 48.2%
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.

Sylvester Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Sylvester Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 290 22 42 45 3 n/a n/a 0 402
1989 290 48 21 40 1 n/a n/a 0 400
1990 294 50 13 60 1 n/a n/a 0 418
1991 319 43 19 24 1 n/a n/a 0 406
1992 314 66 17 47 1 n/a n/a 0 445
1993 299 61 5 24 0 n/a n/a 0 389
1994 277 50 7 13 0 n/a n/a 0 347
1995 282 85 6 21 0 n/a n/a 0 394
1996 282 85 6 21 0 n/a n/a 0 394
1997 252 96 4 24 0 n/a n/a 0 376
1998 234 103 4 26 1 n/a n/a 0 368
1999 222 100 11 17 0 n/a n/a 0 350
2000 225 83 18 20 0 n/a n/a 0 346
2001 209 71 17 30 1 n/a n/a 0 328
2002 196 64 14 45 0 n/a n/a 0 319
2003 196 64 14 45 0 n/a n/a 0 319
2004 208 59 18 43 2 n/a n/a 0 330
2005 202 72 17 45 2 n/a n/a 0 338
2006 195 82 20 43 4 n/a n/a 0 344
2007 181 102 20 43 3 n/a n/a 0 349
2008 175 100 22 49 2 n/a n/a 0 348
2009 194 103 29 49 0 n/a n/a 0 375
2010 215 111 41 50 2 n/a n/a 0 419
2011 195 104 35 52 2 5 10 0 403
2012 197 77 48 58 2 5 14 0 401
2013 199 83 43 60 1 6 17 0 409
2014 189 85 33 58 2 1 13 0 381
2015 194 89 27 67 0 2 15 0 394
2016 182 112 25 75 0 3 24 0 421
2017 195 130 20 65 0 5 29 0 444
2018 165 116 17 61 1 4 25 0 389
2019 140 114 16 56 1 3 33 0 363
2020 134 116 24 59 1 3 32 0 369
2021 114 93 17 56 1 2 29 0 312
2022 139 105 18 53 2 4 24 0 345
2023 162 106 20 51 3 6 21 0 369

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 Sylvester Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 402 n/a n/a n/a
1989 400 n/a n/a 32
1990 418 36.0 11.6 29.4
1991 406 n/a n/a n/a
1992 445 n/a n/a 48.5
1993 389 n/a 0.0 51.9
1994 347 23.3 14.9 39.8
1995 394 24.6 16.0 45.4
1996 394 24.6 16.0 45.4
1997 376 27.0 13.9 47.9
1998 368 25.0 14.7 45.9
1999 350 25.0 14.0 44.9
2000 346 23.5 14.7 54
2001 328 22.6 14.5 53.7
2002 319 24.3 13.1 56.4
2003 319 24.3 13.1 56.4
2004 330 24.6 13.4 59.7
2005 338 23.2 14.6 63.9
2006 344 24.1 14.3 64.5
2007 349 25.1 13.9 58.2
2008 348 26.3 13.2 60.9
2009 375 24.5 15.3 64
2010 419 25.4 16.4 66.8
2011 403 20.4 19.7 63.5
2012 401 21.5 18.6 65.8
2013 409 23.5 17.3 65
2014 381 23.0 16.5 66.1
2015 394 26.0 15.1 69.8
2016 421 26.0 16.1 69.8
2017 444 27.0 16.4 67.6
2018 389 23.8 16.3 72.5
2019 363 24.1 15.0 78.2
2020 369 24.5 15.0 77
2021 312 22.2 14.0 66.7
2022 345 25.0 13.8 67
2023 369 26.5 13.9 74

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 Sylvester Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 402 n/a n/a n/a
1989 400 n/a n/a 32
1990 418 36.0 11.6 29.4
1991 406 n/a n/a n/a
1992 445 n/a n/a 48.5
1993 389 n/a 0.0 51.9
1994 347 23.3 14.9 39.8
1995 394 24.6 16.0 45.4
1996 394 24.6 16.0 45.4
1997 376 27.0 13.9 47.9
1998 368 25.0 14.7 45.9
1999 350 25.0 14.0 44.9
2000 346 23.5 14.7 54
2001 328 22.6 14.5 53.7
2002 319 24.3 13.1 56.4
2003 319 24.3 13.1 56.4
2004 330 24.6 13.4 59.7
2005 338 23.2 14.6 63.9
2006 344 24.1 14.3 64.5
2007 349 25.1 13.9 58.2
2008 348 26.3 13.2 60.9
2009 375 24.5 15.3 64
2010 419 25.4 16.4 66.8
2011 403 20.4 19.7 63.5
2012 401 21.5 18.6 65.8
2013 409 23.5 17.3 65
2014 381 23.0 16.5 66.1
2015 394 26.0 15.1 69.8
2016 421 26.0 16.1 69.8
2017 444 27.0 16.4 67.6
2018 389 23.8 16.3 72.5
2019 363 24.1 15.0 78.2
2020 369 24.5 15.0 77
2021 312 22.2 14.0 66.7
2022 345 25.0 13.8 67
2023 369 26.5 13.9 74

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 Sylvester Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $955 (8.5%) $10,331 (91.5%) $11,286
2020 $1,010 (8.9%) $10,301 (91.1%) $11,311
2021 $2,298 (18.3%) $10,292 (81.7%) $12,591
2022 $2,078 (15.3%) $11,547 (84.7%) $13,625
2023 $2,642 (17.1%) $12,813 (82.9%) $15,455

Data source: Michigan Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sylvester Elementary 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.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 1036th of 1408 Elementary schoolsRanks 940th of 1470 Elementary schools
 9.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Sylvester Elementary School)33.936.8
 2.9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Berrien Springs Public Schools)34.235.6
 1.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.140.9
 4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Sylvester Elementary School)20.836.5
 15.7%
   3rd Grade Math (Berrien Springs Public Schools)21.335.3
 14%
   3rd Grade Math (Michigan)46.742.9
 3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Sylvester Elementary School)5038.8
 11.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Berrien Springs Public Schools)5038.9
 11.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.844.3
 1.5%
4th Grade Math (Sylvester Elementary School)26.944.2
 17.3%
   4th Grade Math (Berrien Springs Public Schools)26.942.3
 15.4%
   4th Grade Math (Michigan)41.838.6
 3.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Sylvester Elementary School)41.230.6
 10.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Berrien Springs Public Schools)41.732.1
 9.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)46.243.9
 2.3%
5th Grade Math (Sylvester Elementary School)26.525.6
 0.9%
   5th Grade Math (Berrien Springs Public Schools)27.124.3
 2.8%
   5th Grade Math (Michigan)34.831.5
 3.3%
5th Grade Social Studies (Sylvester Elementary School)5.15.5
 0.4%
   5th Grade Social Studies (Berrien Springs Public Schools)5.95.9
   5th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)17.418.6
 1.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students363369
 1.7%
African American114106
 7%
American Indian13
 200%
Asian1620
 25%
Hispanic5651
 8.9%
Pacific Islander36
 100%
White140162
 15.7%
Two or More Races3321
 36.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients78.2%74%
 4.3%


Schools Near Sylvester Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Sylvester Elementary School

Sylvester Elementary School ranks 872nd of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 369 students attended Sylvester Elementary School.

Students at Sylvester Elementary School are 44% White, 29% African American, 14% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 5% Asian, 2% Pacific Islander.

Students who attend Sylvester Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Berrien Springs Middle School
High : Berrien Springs High School


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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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