Is Benton Harbor Charter School Academy a good school?

Benton Harbor Charter School Academy ranks in the bottom 1.3% of Michigan alternative schools.

How many students attend Benton Harbor Charter School Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 455 students attended Benton Harbor Charter School Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Benton Harbor Charter School Academy?

Students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy are 96% African American, 3% Hispanic.

Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Summary:

Benton Harbor Charter School Academy is an alternative public magnet charter school serving grades PK-9 in Benton Harbor, Michigan, with a student population of 442 as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school faces significant challenges, including extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, persistently low academic performance, and high levels of economic disadvantage among its predominantly African American student population.

Benton Harbor Charter School Academy has experienced very high chronic absenteeism rates in recent years, ranging from 71.5% in 2022-2023 to a peak of 78.2% in 2021-2022, which are significantly higher than the state average and the nearby schools analyzed. The school's academic performance, as measured by proficiency rates on state assessments, is also extremely low compared to state averages and the nearby schools, with only 6.38% of 3rd-grade students proficient in English Language Arts and math proficiency rates below 15% for 3rd, 7th, and 8th grades. Additionally, the school has a very high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 92.76% to 96.75% in recent years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

In contrast, nearby schools like Berrien Springs Virtual Academy and Countryside Academy MiddleHigh School have significantly higher academic proficiency rates, lower chronic absenteeism, and better graduation and dropout rates compared to Benton Harbor Charter School Academy. This suggests that addressing the significant challenges faced by Benton Harbor Charter School Academy will require a multifaceted approach, including targeted interventions, community partnerships, and a careful examination of the school's resource allocation and utilization to ensure that students receive the support they need to succeed.

Detail:

Public, Magnet, Charter, Alternative PK, KG-9

455 Riverview Dr
Benton Harbor, MI 49022-5080

(269) 925-3807

District: Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
1467^th of 1,486 Michigan Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,209

Student/teacher ratio: 17.5

Number of students: 455

Racial breakdown:

African American:

96.3%

Hispanic:

2.9%

White:

0.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 89.2%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Benton Harbor Charter School Academy to nearby alternative schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Benton Harbor Charter School Academy ranks worse than 98.7% of elementary schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 4.77. (See more...)

Compare Details Benton Harbor Charter School Academy ranks worse than 92.3% of middle schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.28. (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 Racial makeup is: African American (96.3%), Hispanic (2.9%), White (0.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 89.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy is 17.5. (See more...)

Compare Benton Harbor Charter School Academy employs 26 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy is $12,209.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Benton Harbor Charter School Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Benton Harbor Charter School Academy 1467^th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Benton Harbor Charter School Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Benton Harbor Charter School Academy 828^th of 897 Michigan public middle schools. (See Benton Harbor Charter School Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

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Rank History for Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	7.11	1494^th	1545	3.3%
2007	7.68	1517^th	1565	3.1%
2008	18.31	1428^th	1577	9.4%
2009	11.72	1496^th	1589	5.9%
2010	26.97	1344^th	1552	13.4%
2011	31.63	1276^th	1552	17.8%
2012	9.85	1484^th	1566	5.2%
2013	25.24	1252^nd	1563	19.9%
2014	6.82	1466^th	1533	4.4%
2015	9.11	1472^nd	1580	6.8%
2016	6.24	1489^th	1548	3.8%
2017	4.03	1446^th	1466	1.4%
2018	7.87	1405^th	1448	3.0%
2024	4.77	1467^th	1486	1.3%

See the entire list of Michigan Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	10.98	1315^th	1397	5.9%
2024	6.76	1356^th	1381	1.8%

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

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	8.60	1370^th	1443	5.1%

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

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	7.06	1401^st	1446	3.1%

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

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	26.10	388^th	475	18.3%
2024	14.18	330^th	348	5.2%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Alternative Schools for African American Students!

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

Rank History for Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	0.78	799^th	806	0.9%
2007	5.15	794^th	823	3.5%
2008	15.38	764^th	839	8.9%
2009	17.52	768^th	847	9.3%
2010	27.55	730^th	851	14.2%
2011	22.01	745^th	858	13.2%
2012	21.12	755^th	900	16.1%
2013	36.59	622^nd	919	32.3%
2014	13.99	803^rd	921	12.8%
2015	12.57	794^th	919	13.6%
2016	14.62	757^th	894	15.3%
2017	18.81	675^th	821	17.8%
2018	20.59	695^th	838	17.1%
2024	9.28	828^th	897	7.7%

See the entire list of Michigan Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	29.71	611^th	815	25.0%
2024	11.82	767^th	836	8.3%

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

Rank History for middle school Female students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	16.91	662^nd	794	16.6%

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

Rank History for middle school African American students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	49.27	155^th	366	57.7%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Alternative Schools for African American 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 Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2001	16	547	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	567
2002	1	424	0	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	437
2003	1	424	0	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	437
2004	5	466	0	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	488
2005	3	443	0	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	468
2006	3	408	0	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	432
2007	3	398	0	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	413
2008	15	405	n/a	30	n/a	n/a	n/a	1	451
2009	0	455	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	27	483
2010	8	350	0	12	1	n/a	n/a	25	396
2011	2	391	0	36	1	0	4	0	434
2012	2	367	0	29	0	0	4	0	402
2013	2	358	0	23	0	0	5	0	388
2014	6	389	0	29	0	0	6	0	430
2015	4	372	0	17	0	0	0	0	393
2016	5	417	0	21	0	0	4	0	447
2017	5	394	0	25	2	0	8	0	434
2018	7	446	0	21	1	0	7	0	482
2019	8	489	0	18	0	0	5	0	520
2020	5	471	0	7	0	0	3	0	486
2021	5	447	0	4	1	0	4	0	461
2022	4	476	0	8	1	0	3	0	492
2023	3	426	0	10	1	0	2	0	442
2024	2	438	0	13	1	0	1	0	455

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 Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	567	24.0	23.6	59.4
2002	437	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	437	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	488	24.0	20.3	95.7
2005	468	20.0	23.4	93.2
2006	432	23.8	18.2	99.3
2007	413	21.8	18.9	48.7
2008	451	16.8	26.8	34.9
2009	483	23.8	20.3	105.3
2010	396	22.8	17.3	103
2011	434	25.8	16.8	97.7
2012	402	28.0	14.3	99.3
2013	388	23.0	16.8	99.2
2014	430	16.0	26.8	90.5
2015	393	23.0	17.0	86
2016	447	20.0	22.3	99.3
2017	434	27.0	16.0	99.5
2018	482	23.0	20.9	93.4
2019	520	17.0	30.5	89.4
2020	486	22.1	21.9	91.6
2021	461	25.0	18.4	96.7
2022	492	23.0	21.3	94.9
2023	442	23.9	18.4	92.8
2024	455	26.0	17.5	89.2

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 Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	567	24.0	23.6	59.4
2002	437	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	437	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	488	24.0	20.3	95.7
2005	468	20.0	23.4	93.2
2006	432	23.8	18.2	99.3
2007	413	21.8	18.9	48.7
2008	451	16.8	26.8	34.9
2009	483	23.8	20.3	105.3
2010	396	22.8	17.3	103
2011	434	25.8	16.8	97.7
2012	402	28.0	14.3	99.3
2013	388	23.0	16.8	99.2
2014	430	16.0	26.8	90.5
2015	393	23.0	17.0	86
2016	447	20.0	22.3	99.3
2017	434	27.0	16.0	99.5
2018	482	23.0	20.9	93.4
2019	520	17.0	30.5	89.4
2020	486	22.1	21.9	91.6
2021	461	25.0	18.4	96.7
2022	492	23.0	21.3	94.9
2023	442	23.9	18.4	92.8
2024	455	26.0	17.5	89.2

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 Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,529 (16.8%)	$7,596 (83.2%)	$9,126
2020	$1,941 (21.6%)	$7,033 (78.4%)	$8,974
2021	$1,261 (13.8%)	$7,855 (86.2%)	$9,116
2022	$2,502 (25.0%)	$7,502 (75.0%)	$10,004
2023	$3,518 (28.8%)	$8,690 (71.2%)	$12,208

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Benton Harbor Charter School 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.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Benton Harbor Charter School Academy)	14	6.3	7.8%
3rd Grade Math (Benton Harbor Charter School Academy)	14	6.3	7.8%
3rd Grade Math (Michigan)	46.7	42.9	3.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Benton Harbor Charter School Academy)	17.8	7.1	10.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Benton Harbor Charter School Academy)	17.8	7.1	10.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	41.7	37.5	4.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	520	442	15%
African American	489	426	12.9%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	18	10	44.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	8	3	62.5%
Two or More Races	5	2	60%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	89.4%	92.8%	3.3%

Schools Near Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				PSAT English Language Arts (2024)	PSAT Mathematics (2024)	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd 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 6th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 5th 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
Benton Harbor Charter School Academy	Public, Magnet, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-9	455 Riverview Dr	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Benton Harbor Charter School Academy	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	(269) 925-3807	455	26	17.5	89.2%	2 (0.4%)	438 (96.3%)	13 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)								(n/a)	34.6			6.4	8.2			14.9		7.3	6.1	10.7				$12,209	$3,518	$8,691
Career and Alternative Pathways to Education Center	Public, Virtual, Magnet, Alternative	K-12	636 Pipestone St	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Benton Harbor Area Schools	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	(269) 605-1900	51	6	7.9	94.1%	2 (3.9%)	46 (90.2%)	3 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																$18,685	$11,618	$7,066
Lighthouse Education Center	Public, Alternative	K-12	379 W Glenlord Rd	Saint Joseph	49085	Berrien County	Berrien Regional Educational Service Agency	No	No	No	No	(269) 429-2351	115	30	3.8	81.7%	70 (60.9%)	26 (22.6%)	9 (7.8%)	2 (1.7%)	3 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.3%)								(n/a)
Countryside Academy MiddleHigh School	Public, Charter, Alternative	2-12	4800 Meadowbrook Rd	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Countryside Academy	Yes	No	No	No	(269) 944-3319	372	24	15.7	86.8%	38 (10.2%)	196 (52.7%)	126 (33.9%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.4%)								(n/a)	53.1	12.2	25.0			21.3	19.0		6.6	9.2		16.7	25.8	18.8	29.0	$12,129	$1,643	$10,486
Blossomland Learning Center	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	711 Saint Joseph Ave	Berrien Springs	49103	Berrien County	Berrien Regional Educational Service Agency	No	No	No	No	(269) 473-2600	138	25	5.5	73.2%	81 (58.7%)	44 (31.9%)	6 (4.3%)	2 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.6%)								(n/a)
Berrien Springs Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	501 Middle School Drive	Berrien Springs	49103	Berrien County	Berrien Springs Public Schools	No	No	Yes	No	(269) 473-0500	144	7	19.4	34.0%	104 (72.2%)	14 (9.7%)	10 (6.9%)	5 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	10 (6.9%)								(n/a)	83.3	33.3		38.5	50.0		40.0	33.3		40.0	41.7	47.4		36.8		$5,668	$912	$4,757
North Pointe Center	Public, Alternative	K-12	704 Orchard St	Dowagiac	49047	Cass County	Heritage Southwest Intermediate School District	No	No	No	No	(269) 390-5055	43	3	14.3	69.8%	26 (60.5%)	6 (14.0%)	2 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.3%)	8 (18.6%)								(n/a)

Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Benton Harbor Charter School Academy:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

What do you think?

Rank History for Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Rank History for all elementary school students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Rank History for Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Rank History for all middle school students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Rank History for middle school Female students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Rank History for middle school African American students at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Enrollment information for Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Student/Teacher Ratio Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Per Pupil Expenditures for Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Impact of COVID-19 on Benton Harbor Charter School Academy

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Benton Harbor Charter School Academy