Is Countryside Elementary School a good school?

Yes! Countryside Elementary School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 9 th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools.

How many students attend Countryside Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 617 students attended Countryside Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Countryside Elementary School?

Students at Countryside Elementary School are 74% White, 9% Hispanic, 8% Asian, 7% Two or more races, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of Countryside Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Countryside Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Byron Center West Middle School Middle : Robert L Nickels Intermediate School High : Byron Center High School

Countryside Elementary School

Summary:

Countryside Elementary School is a high-performing public elementary school in Byron Center, Michigan, serving students from kindergarten to 4th grade as part of the Byron Center Public Schools district, which is ranked 2nd out of 610 districts in the state.

Countryside Elementary consistently outperforms state and district averages in academic assessments, with 78.9% of 3rd-grade students and 81.3% of 4th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to state averages of 39.6% and 43.3%, respectively. In Math, 86.8% of 3rd-grade students and 83.7% of 4th-grade students were proficient or better, compared to state averages of 43.4% and 39.1%. The school also has a relatively diverse student population, with 74.87% White, 9% Hispanic, 6.79% Asian, and 7.64% two or more races, and a low percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch at 22.07%.

Countryside Elementary outperforms many nearby schools, such as Brookwood Elementary (34% 3rd-grade ELA proficiency) and ranks 2nd out of 1,204 Michigan elementary schools for White students and 2nd out of 1,381 for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The school has maintained a high level of academic performance over the years, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past 10 school years, and has increased its spending per student from $9,972 in 2019-2020 to $12,327 in 2022-2023, indicating a commitment to investing in educational resources and supporting student learning.

Detail:

Public K-4

8200 Eastern Ave SE
Byron Center, MI 49315-9317

(616) 878-6900

District: Byron Center Public Schools

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,327

Students who attend Countryside Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Byron Center West Middle School
	Robert L Nickels Intermediate School
High:	Byron Center High School

Student/teacher ratio: 21.1

Number of students: 617

Racial breakdown:

White:

73.7%

Hispanic:

9.1%

Asian:

7.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 20.9%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Countryside Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Countryside Elementary School ranks better than 99.4% of elementary schools in Michigan. It also ranks 2^nd among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Byron Center Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 98.15. (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 Countryside Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Byron Center Public Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (73.7%), Hispanic (9.1%), Asian (7.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 20.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Byron Center Public Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Countryside Elementary School is 21.1, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Byron Center Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Countryside Elementary School employs 29.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Countryside Elementary School is $12,327. 1 elementary schools in the Byron Center Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Countryside Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Countryside Elementary School 9^th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Countryside Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Byron Center Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Byron Center Public Schools 2^nd of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Countryside Elementary School?

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Rank History for Countryside Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Countryside Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	72.92	344^th	1545	77.7%
2007	69.93	453^rd	1565	71.1%
2008	81.14	166^th	1577	89.5%
2009	83.62	109^th	1589	93.1%
2010	83.46	36^th	1552	97.7%
2011	81.28	137^th	1552	91.2%
2012	82.00	221^st	1566	85.9%
2013	85.65	152^nd	1563	90.3%
2014	82.36	195^th	1533	87.3%
2015	88.98	114^th	1580	92.8%
2016	95.78	29^th	1548	98.1%
2017	93.12	46^th	1466	96.9%
2018	96.00	26^th	1448	98.2%
2019	98.14	8^th	1408	99.4%
2021	99.15	3^rd	1153	99.7%
2022	97.87	5^th	1344	99.6%
2023	97.88	11^th	1470	99.3%
2024	98.15	9^th	1486	99.4%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	97.69	8^th	1397	99.4%
2019	98.47	4^th	1134	99.6%
2021	93.63	15^th	749	98.0%
2022	98.90	3^rd	1099	99.7%
2023	98.37	9^th	1350	99.3%
2024	98.96	2^nd	1381	99.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at Countryside Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	96.09	20^th	1443	98.6%
2021	98.90	3^rd	902	99.7%
2022	97.34	6^th	1106	99.5%
2023	96.63	17^th	1321	98.7%
2024	96.34	18^th	1342	98.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at Countryside Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	94.13	38^th	1446	97.4%
2019	95.86	16^th	1196	98.7%
2021	99.21	2^nd	915	99.8%
2022	98.13	5^th	1139	99.6%
2023	98.18	6^th	1334	99.6%
2024	98.17	5^th	1347	99.6%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Countryside Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	97.11	3^rd	201	98.5%

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

Rank History for White students at Countryside Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	94.61	28^th	1253	97.8%
2019	97.91	2^nd	1128	99.8%
2021	99.13	3^rd	1005	99.7%
2022	97.83	4^th	1102	99.6%
2023	97.78	2^nd	1198	99.8%
2024	98.39	2^nd	1204	99.8%

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.

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Countryside Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2004	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0
2005	329	7	17	20	6	n/a	n/a	379
2006	351	8	16	13	5	n/a	n/a	393
2007	361	16	21	11	6	n/a	n/a	415
2008	360	13	24	10	7	n/a	n/a	414
2009	358	15	22	25	7	n/a	n/a	427
2010	396	13	18	26	0	n/a	n/a	453
2011	431	7	18	18	4	0	9	487
2012	422	5	16	25	3	0	19	490
2013	399	12	10	31	2	0	25	479
2014	416	16	9	26	2	0	35	504
2015	412	15	5	32	1	0	39	504
2016	429	9	4	23	2	0	36	503
2017	459	9	5	20	3	0	33	529
2018	461	7	6	18	1	0	31	524
2019	476	6	10	20	1	0	31	544
2020	482	4	15	37	1	0	46	585
2021	470	4	20	47	1	0	49	591
2022	465	4	40	53	1	0	43	606
2023	441	9	40	53	1	0	45	589
2024	455	11	48	56	1	0	46	617

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 Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	379	17.0	22.3	23.2
2006	393	18.5	21.2	25.2
2007	415	22.0	18.9	23.1
2008	414	19.5	21.2	22.5
2009	427	23.3	18.3	23.2
2010	453	23.4	19.2	26.3
2011	487	26.2	18.5	24.8
2012	490	25.4	19.2	24.5
2013	479	27.9	17.1	27.3
2014	504	26.7	18.8	29.6
2015	504	27.0	18.6	26.2
2016	503	25.0	20.1	19.9
2017	529	26.2	20.1	22.5
2018	524	24.8	21.1	20
2019	544	26.0	20.9	23
2020	585	26.6	21.9	23.1
2021	591	28.1	21.0	20.6
2022	606	29.3	20.6	20.8
2023	589	28.3	20.7	22.1
2024	617	29.2	21.1	20.9

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 Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	379	17.0	22.3	23.2
2006	393	18.5	21.2	25.2
2007	415	22.0	18.9	23.1
2008	414	19.5	21.2	22.5
2009	427	23.3	18.3	23.2
2010	453	23.4	19.2	26.3
2011	487	26.2	18.5	24.8
2012	490	25.4	19.2	24.5
2013	479	27.9	17.1	27.3
2014	504	26.7	18.8	29.6
2015	504	27.0	18.6	26.2
2016	503	25.0	20.1	19.9
2017	529	26.2	20.1	22.5
2018	524	24.8	21.1	20
2019	544	26.0	20.9	23
2020	585	26.6	21.9	23.1
2021	591	28.1	21.0	20.6
2022	606	29.3	20.6	20.8
2023	589	28.3	20.7	22.1
2024	617	29.2	21.1	20.9

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 Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$639 (6.2%)	$9,711 (93.8%)	$10,350
2020	$455 (4.6%)	$9,517 (95.4%)	$9,972
2021	$847 (7.9%)	$9,941 (92.1%)	$10,788
2022	$867 (7.8%)	$10,254 (92.2%)	$11,121
2023	$914 (7.4%)	$11,412 (92.6%)	$12,326

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Countryside 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 8^th of 1408 Elementary schools	Ranks 11^th of 1470 Elementary schools	0.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Countryside Elementary School)	83	76.6	6.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Byron Center Public Schools)	88.6	81.1	7.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.1	40.9	4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Countryside Elementary School)	86.2	85.4	0.8%
3rd Grade Math (Byron Center Public Schools)	90.3	88.2	2.1%
3rd Grade Math (Michigan)	46.7	42.9	3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Countryside Elementary School)	91.3	82.9	8.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Byron Center Public Schools)	91	85.9	5.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.8	44.3	1.5%
4th Grade Math (Countryside Elementary School)	81.7	89.4	7.7%
4th Grade Math (Byron Center Public Schools)	82	87.9	5.9%
4th Grade Math (Michigan)	41.8	38.6	3.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	544	589	8.3%
African American	6	9	50%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	10	40	300%
Hispanic	20	53	165%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	476	441	7.4%
Two or More Races	31	45	45.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	23%	22.1%	0.9%

Schools Near Countryside Elementary 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 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 English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th 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
Countryside Elementary School	Public	K-4	8200 Eastern Ave SE	Byron Center	49315	Kent County	Byron Center Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 878-6900	617	29	21.1	20.9%	455 (73.7%)	11 (1.8%)	56 (9.1%)	48 (7.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (7.5%)	98.2	9^th of 1486 public elementary schools	99.4%		97.9	11^th of 1470 public elementary schools	99.3%	2			78.9	81.3				86.8	83.7								$12,327	$914	$11,412
Cross Creek Charter Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	7701 Kalamazoo Ave SE	Byron Center	49315	Kent County	Cross Creek Charter Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(616) 656-4000	807	39	20.6	43.9%	475 (58.9%)	72 (8.9%)	90 (11.2%)	85 (10.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	85 (10.5%)	94	62^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	95.8%		94.8	47^th of 1470 public elementary schools	96.8%	15	93.1	64.4	70.2	75.0	63.2	66.7	65.8	76.2	86.9	64.4	66.7	68.4	69.0	70.9	36.8	64.4	$10,943	$777	$10,166
Southwood Elementary	Public	K-5	630 66th St SE	Grand Rapids	49548	Kent County	Kentwood Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 455-7230	301	18	16.3	84.1%	128 (42.5%)	58 (19.3%)	70 (23.3%)	14 (4.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (10.0%)	43.8	791^st of 1486 public elementary schools	46.8%		55.6	605^th of 1470 public elementary schools	58.8%	186			41.0	48.8	28.9			41.0	36.4	40.0			33.3		13.3		$15,890	$2,323	$13,568
Explorer Elementary	Public	K-5	2307 68th St SE	Caledonia	49316	Kent County	Kentwood Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 554-0302	563	33	17.0	56.7%	203 (36.1%)	145 (25.8%)	79 (14.0%)	65 (11.5%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (12.1%)	82	229^th of 1486 public elementary schools	84.6%		79.7	252^nd of 1470 public elementary schools	82.9%	23			51.0	72.0	62.9			47.4	63.4	45.7			60.0		51.4		$13,777	$1,470	$12,307
Townline Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	100 60th St SE	Grand Rapids	49548	Kent County	Kentwood Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 538-4120	295	20	14.4	82.4%	71 (24.1%)	60 (20.3%)	85 (28.8%)	36 (12.2%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.3%)	40 (13.6%)	25.5	1087^th of 1486 public elementary schools	26.9%		35.6	911^th of 1470 public elementary schools	38.0%	176			19.5	26.2	42.6			36.6	22.5	21.3			27.7		6.4		$15,997	$1,720	$14,277
Glenwood Elementary	Public	K-5	912 Silverleaf St SE	Grand Rapids	49508	Kent County	Kentwood Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 455-2510	467	27	17.4	81.2%	94 (20.1%)	178 (38.1%)	107 (22.9%)	49 (10.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (8.4%)	49.4	704^th of 1486 public elementary schools	52.6%		31.5	973^rd of 1470 public elementary schools	33.8%	269			62.0	37.9	37.7			56.0	23.9	29.6			24.5		9.3		$14,156	$1,568	$12,588
Discovery Elementary	Public	K-5	2461 60th St SE	Grand Rapids	49508	Kent County	Kentwood Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 871-1080	700	39	18.0	70.3%	187 (26.7%)	208 (29.7%)	126 (18.0%)	113 (16.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	64 (9.1%)	65.3	479^th of 1486 public elementary schools	67.8%		70.7	382^nd of 1470 public elementary schools	74.0%	97			43.3	58.9	55.6			39.6	52.3	41.0			43.6		27.4		$12,525	$1,800	$10,725
Brookwood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5465 Kalamazoo Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49508	Kent County	Kentwood Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 455-0030	363	23	15.6	73.3%	79 (21.8%)	157 (43.3%)	47 (12.9%)	40 (11.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (10.5%)	40.7	836^th of 1486 public elementary schools	43.7%		40.1	853^rd of 1470 public elementary schools	42.0%	17			34.0	41.4	40.0			27.7	41.4	34.5			30.9		16.4		$15,635	$2,294	$13,341
Southeast Kelloggsville School	Public	K-2	240 52nd St SE	Grand Rapids	49548	Kent County	Kelloggsville Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 532-1590	286	18	16.3	91.3%	42 (14.7%)	128 (44.8%)	89 (31.1%)	23 (8.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)								(n/a)																	$15,091	$1,525	$13,566
Marshall Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1756 64th St SW	Byron Center	49315	Kent County	Byron Center Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 878-6300	528	28	18.5	25.9%	395 (74.8%)	7 (1.3%)	49 (9.3%)	32 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (8.5%)	97.8	15^th of 1486 public elementary schools	99.0%		97.7	12^th of 1470 public elementary schools	99.2%	3			87.2	78.8				87.2	77.1								$12,778	$827	$11,950

Countryside Elementary School

Countryside Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Byron Center Public Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Countryside Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Countryside Elementary School

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

Rank History for Female students at Countryside Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Countryside Elementary School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Countryside Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Countryside Elementary School

Enrollment information for Countryside Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Countryside Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Countryside Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Countryside Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Countryside Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Countryside Elementary School