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Schools›Michigan›BUCHANAN
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·BUCHANAN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS·NCES 260714008702

Buchanan Step Up

401 W CHICAGO ST, BUCHANAN, MI 49107 · (269) 695-8401 · Berrien County
GRADES KG–12COMBINED31-TOWNVIRTUALTITLE IALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SCHOOL15 STUDENTS
Enrollment
15
Combined
DISTRICT 32 · STATE 281
Student : Teacher
6.4:1
2 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 12.8:1 · STATE 17.3:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
80%
12 students
DISTRICT 60% · STATE 55%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other combined schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade
Grade 8
2
Grade 9
3
Grade 10
4
Grade 11
4
Grade 12
2
Student demographics
White
1067%
DISTRICT 85% · STATE 63%
Black
213%
DISTRICT 3% · STATE 18%
Two+
320%
DISTRICT 7% · STATE 5%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Male
853%
Female
747%

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BeatsExpectations

Not computed for this school
BeatsExpectations is not computed for specialized-population schools (schools for the deaf or blind, therapeutic and behavioral-health placements, juvenile-justice and alternative-education settings, and similar). State ELA/Math proficiency rates are not a comparable metric for these populations, so a demographically-adjusted residual against general-enrollment peers would be misleading. About the methodology →

7-year change

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Enrollment
15
-8 (-35%) vs 2017
% White
67%
was 74%
% Hispanic
0%
was 4%
% Black
13%
was 0%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data

About Buchanan Step Up

Located at 401 W CHICAGO ST, in BUCHANAN, Michigan, Buchanan Step Up is a minimally staffed K-12 campus that works with 15 students (grades K through 12), overseen by Buchanan Community Schools. By comparison, Michigan's public schools average about 281 students each, so Buchanan Step Up sits 95% smaller than that benchmark.

Buchanan Community Schools comprises 6 schools with combined enrollment of 1,567 students; Buchanan Step Up is among them.

Looking at the student body, Buchanan Step Up logs that 67% of the student body identifies as White. The remainder breaks down as 20% multiracial, 13% Black.

On the resource side, Buchanan Step Up reports 2 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 6.4:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 17.3:1 average. An estimated 80% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, Berrien County runs at roughly 55%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

In the broader community, community-level numbers for Berrien County indicate median household earnings sit near $65,425, roughly 31% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 11%. Buchanan Step Up is one of 75 public schools in Berrien County (combined enrollment of about 21,027 students).

Nearest neighbor: Buchanan High School, around 0.0 miles off. Within five miles, there are 6 other public schools.

Buchanan Step Up operates from a small-town location. Buchanan Step Up delivers learning online rather than in a traditional classroom setting.

Over the past 7-year window. Over the past 7-year window, the student count contracted 35%: 23 students in 2018 compared to 15 in 2025. The Black share of enrollment climbed from 0% to 13% over that span.

In the discussion threads here, members of the Buchanan Step Up community share and discuss fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.

Berrien County at a glance

View full county profile
Population
153,288
Census ACS
Median income
$65,425
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
31%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
11%
Below federal line
Schools in county
75
21,027 students

Quick facts

School name
Buchanan Step Up
District
Buchanan Community Schools
Address
401 W CHICAGO ST, BUCHANAN, MI 49107
Phone
(269) 695-8401
County
Berrien County
Level
Combined
Grade range
KG–12
Total enrollment
15
Teachers (FTE)
2
Student–teacher ratio
6.4:1
Free/Reduced lunch
12 (80%)
Locale
31-Town: Fringe
NCES ID
260714008702
Charter school
No
Virtual school
Yes

Related schools

Other schools in Buchanan Community Schools
Other schools in BUCHANAN
Nearby schools

Frequently asked questions

About Buchanan Step Up
How large is Buchanan Step Up?
Buchanan Step Up enrolls approximately 15 students in grades KG-12.
What grades does Buchanan Step Up serve?
Buchanan Step Up serves grades KG-12.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buchanan Step Up?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Buchanan Step Up is approximately 6.4:1 (2 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at Buchanan Step Up?
At Buchanan Step Up, the student body is approximately 67% White, 13% Black, 20% Two or more.
Who oversees Buchanan Step Up?
Buchanan Step Up is overseen by Buchanan Community Schools in Berrien County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.
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