Countryside Academy Elementary

Countryside Academy Elementary is a public charter school in Benton Harbor, MI, serving 384 students in grades K-5 within the Countryside Academy district, where over 83% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Academically, the school faces significant challenges, with proficiency rates on state tests well below Michigan averages in most subjects and grades. For example, 3rd-grade reading proficiency was 12.2% compared to the state's 38.2%, and 4th-grade math was 16.1% versus the state's 39.4%. However, there are some bright spots. Fifth-grade reading proficiency reached 39.6% in the most recent year, coming close to the state average of 43.8%. The school also shows relative strength with specific student groups—Hispanic students ranked in the 55th percentile statewide, and English Language Learners ranked in the 58th percentile, both earning 3-star ratings. This suggests that certain programs may be working well for these populations, even as overall scores remain low.

When compared to nearby schools, Countryside sits in a middle position. It outperforms schools in the Benton Harbor Area Schools district, such as Fair Plain East Elementary and Martin Luther King Junior Elementary, where proficiency rates often fall in the single digits. However, it lags far behind the high-achieving St. Joseph Public Schools, where schools like Lincoln School post reading proficiency rates of 69.2%—more than five times higher than Countryside's. The school's chronic absenteeism rate of 27% is a concern, though notably lower than the 36-65% rates seen in Benton Harbor schools. Interestingly, Countryside spends more per student ($14,523) than the higher-performing St. Joseph schools, suggesting that financial resources alone haven't translated into academic gains. Test scores also fluctuate significantly from year to year, making it difficult to identify clear trends.