Total enrollment
96,389
-8,639 (-8%) vs SY 2017-18
Kent County
Michigan · Public K-12
239 public K-12 schools, roughly 97,253 students, one county, 663,150 residents. That is Kent County, Michigan on the numbers. By grade band, the county runs 118 elementary, 39 middle, and 64 high schools.
7-year change in Kent County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
224
-2 (-1%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
54%
was 58%
% Hispanic
21%
was 18%
% Black
15%
was 14%
% Asian
4%
was 4%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
663,150
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
239
46 districts
Enrollment
97,253
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$82,631
Above Michigan avg
Free/reduced lunch
47.4%
Below Michigan avg
Elementary
118
43,775 students
Middle
39
19,098 students
High
64
30,152 students
Combined / other
18
4,228 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Grand Rapids Public Schools
13,903 students · 46 districts in Kent County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Kent County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
40.8%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.2%
civilian labor
Median age
36
23.5% under 18
Test scores in Kent County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 115 schools ranked. Michigan state average: 47.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Brown Elementary School· 87.8%
- Marshall Elementary School· 86.9%
- Knapp Forest Elementary School· 84.3%
- Countryside Elementary School· 83.6%
- Wealthy School· 82.6%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Oriole Park Elementary School· 17.0%
- North Godwin Elementary School· 21.6%
- Kent City Middle School· 22.4%
- Southwest Elementary Academia Bilingue· 22.5%
- Palmer School· 22.8%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenowa Hills Pathways High School | Grand Rapids | High | 09-12 | 99 | · |
| Lincoln School | Grand Rapids | Combined | KG-12 | 99 | · |
| Godwin Heights Learning Center | Grand Rapids | High | 09-12 | 97 | · |
| 54th Street Academy | Grand Rapids | High | 09-12 | 94 | · |
| East Lee Campus | Wyoming | High | 09-12 | 87 | · |
| Pine Grove Learning Center | Wyoming | Combined | KG-12 | 85 | · |
| Lincoln Developmental Center | Grand Rapids | Combined | KG-12 | 77 | · |
| Lighthouse Academy Waalkes | Grand Rapids | Combined | KG-12 | 73 | · |
| Kelloggsville Virtual School | Grand Rapids | High | 06-12 | 61 | · |
| Kent ISD Deaf and Hard of Hearing | Grand Rapids | Combined | PK-12 | 61 | · |
| Blandford School | Grand Rapids | Middle | 06-06 | 60 | · |
| Center for Economicology | Grand Rapids | Middle | 06-06 | 60 | · |
| John Ball Park Zoo School | Grand Rapids | Middle | 06-06 | 58 | · |
| New Beginnings Alternative High School | Cedar Springs | High | 09-12 | 50 | · |
| Union High Transition | Grand Rapids | High | 09-12 | 50 | · |
| Kent Education CenterBeltline | Grand Rapids | High | 09-12 | 43 | · |
| Grand Rapids Learning Center | Grand Rapids | High | 09-12 | 39 | · |
| River Valley Academy | Rockford | High | 09-12 | 37 | · |
| Comstock Park Flex Academy | Comstock Park | High | 09-12 | 33 | · |
| Kent Education CenterOakleigh | Grand Rapids | Elementary | KG-08 | 32 | · |
| Northview Next Career Center | Grand Rapids | High | 09-12 | 32 | · |
| Kent City Virtual Academy | Kent City | High | 06-12 | 23 | · |
| Grandville Education Center | Grandville | High | 09-12 | 22 | · |
| Unity Alternative School | Lowell | High | 09-12 | 19 | · |
| Ottawa High Transition | Grand Rapids | High | 09-12 | 14 | · |
| Bethany Based School | Grand Rapids | High | 06-12 | 12 | · |
| Forest Hills Transition Center | Grand Rapids | High | 12-12 | 8 | · |
| Lighthouse Academy The Pier | Grand Rapids | High | 09-12 | 7 | · |
| Duncan Lake Transitions Program | Caledonia | High | UG-UG | 3 | · |
| Home Education Site | Grand Rapids | Combined | 01-12 | 1 | · |
| Cedar Springs Early Childhood Center | Cedar Springs | Elementary | PK-PK | 0 | · |
| Duncan Lake Early Childhood Center | Caledonia | Elementary | PK-PK | 0 | · |
| Kent Career Tech Center | Grand Rapids | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| MySchoolKent | Grand Rapids | High | 06-12 | 0 | · |
| Shared Time | Grand Rapids | Combined | KG-12 | 0 | · |
| Hamilton Elementary School | Kentwood | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Kent Innovation High School | Grand Rapids | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| PrepNet Virtual Academy | Grand Rapids | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| Wyoming Regional Center | Wyoming | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Kent County
About Kent County
Kent County is a sprawling county of about 663,150 residents in Michigan. Its public-school system teaches approximately 97,253 students across 239 schools.
Stepping back, census numbers show the median household earns about $82,631 a year, roughly 41% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the federal-poverty share is near 6%. That income level is 25% noticeably above the Michigan median.
Looking at the level breakdown, Kent County comprises 118 elementary schools (43,775 students), 39 middle schools (19,098), 64 high schools (30,152), and 18 combined or other schools.
Grand Rapids Public Schools is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 13,903 students across Kent County.
Over the past 7-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 96,389 students, shrank 8% from the 105,028 reported in SY 2017-18. Over that span, Kent County lost 2 schools, going from 226 to 224. Demographically, the White share of enrollment fell from 58% to 54%.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Kent County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Kent County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data