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Brown School

Q: Is Brown School a good school?

Brown School ranks 166 th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

166^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 89% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Brown School is a highly regarded elementary school in Saint Joseph, MI, serving 410 students in grades PK-5 as part of the top-rated St. Joseph Public Schools district. The school has earned a 4-star rating and ranks in the 89th percentile statewide, placing it 166th out of 1,492 Michigan elementary schools—a position it has consistently held for the past decade, never dropping below the 84th percentile.

Brown School's standout achievement is its exceptional support for students from lower-income backgrounds. In 2025-2026, these students ranked in the 91st percentile statewide (5 stars), a remarkable improvement from the 81st percentile just two years prior. The school also excels at keeping kids in class, with a chronic absenteeism rate of just 11.4%—far better than the district's 16.4% and the state's 27.9%. Academically, 4th grade math is a particular strength, with 79.2% of students proficient compared to only 39.4% statewide. While girls consistently outperform boys (93rd vs. 83rd percentile), both groups score well above state averages. The school also outperforms its sister schools in the district, ranking ahead of both Clarke School (211th) and Lincoln School (222nd) statewide.

One area for parents to watch is 5th grade math, where proficiency drops to 46.5%—a significant decline from the 79.2% seen in 4th grade. This pattern is common in the area, though nearby Hollywood Elementary School (65.2%) and Roosevelt Elementary School (63.1%) in the Lakeshore School District (Berrien) handle this transition more smoothly. Brown School achieves these results efficiently, spending $12,338 per student—less than nearby Lakeshore schools and dramatically less than the $27,000+ spent by Benton Harbor Area Schools, where proficiency rates remain in the single digits. With a stable track record, strong low-income student support, and excellent attendance, Brown School offers a consistently high-quality education for families in the Saint Joseph area.

410

Students ?

21.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,338

Per pupil spending ?

22.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2027 Brown School Rd
Saint Joseph, MI 49085-2901

(269) 926-3500

District: St. Joseph Public Schools

Students who attend Brown School usually attend:

Middle:	Upton Middle School
High:	St Joseph High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.0%

African American:

8.0%

Asian:

7.3%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 84th percentile in 2016 → 89th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Michigan average (61% vs 38% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 11% of Michigan elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 5 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school61%

District avg59%

Michigan avg38%

166^th of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Top 11%▲ up 4 pts since 2016

From top 16% (2016) to top 11% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 3Elementary Schools in the St. Joseph Public Schools

44^th of 625St. Joseph Public Schools among Michigan districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	87.9	166 of 1492	88.9%	★★★★☆
2025	83.7	223 of 1488	85.0%	★★★★☆
2024	87.3	160 of 1486	89.2%	★★★★☆
2023	88.0	137 of 1470	90.7%	★★★★★
2022	82.6	194 of 1344	85.6%	★★★★☆
2021	80.8	172 of 1153	85.1%	★★★★☆
2019	91.5	75 of 1408	94.7%	★★★★★
2018	91.0	91 of 1448	93.7%	★★★★★
2017	90.4	73 of 1466	95.0%	★★★★★
2016	80.7	240 of 1548	84.5%	★★★★☆
2015	79.8	270 of 1580	82.9%	★★★★☆
2014	77.1	310 of 1533	79.8%	★★★★☆
2013	77.6	296 of 1563	81.1%	★★★★☆
2012	73.6	374 of 1566	76.1%	★★★★☆
2011	82.8	96 of 1552	93.8%	★★★★★
2010	80.4	132 of 1552	91.5%	★★★★★
2009	78.2	260 of 1589	83.6%	★★★★☆
2008	80.2	204 of 1577	87.1%	★★★★☆
2007	84.6	85 of 1565	94.6%	★★★★★
2006	78.4	212 of 1545	86.3%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	89.1	99 of 1343	92.6%	★★★★★
2025	89.3	96 of 1338	92.8%	★★★★★
2024	88.0	100 of 1342	92.5%	★★★★★
2023	85.9	125 of 1321	90.5%	★★★★★
2022	75.8	204 of 1106	81.6%	★★★★☆
2021	60.3	292 of 902	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	88.8	72 of 1171	93.9%	★★★★★
2018	89.6	91 of 1443	93.7%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	84.3	115 of 1352	91.5%	★★★★★
2025	76.6	209 of 1346	84.5%	★★★★☆
2024	72.8	266 of 1381	80.7%	★★★★☆
2023	72.8	236 of 1350	82.5%	★★★★☆
2022	71.7	207 of 1099	81.2%	★★★★☆
2021	81.6	61 of 749	91.9%	★★★★★
2019	93.4	22 of 1134	98.1%	★★★★★
2018	86.9	91 of 1397	93.5%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	79.6	234 of 1372	82.9%	★★★★☆
2025	68.9	385 of 1366	71.8%	★★★★☆
2024	79.0	219 of 1347	83.7%	★★★★☆
2023	82.4	178 of 1334	86.7%	★★★★☆
2022	80.3	173 of 1139	84.8%	★★★★☆
2021	86.7	75 of 915	91.8%	★★★★★
2019	87.7	91 of 1196	92.4%	★★★★★
2018	88.2	119 of 1446	91.8%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	85.2	153 of 1199	87.2%	★★★★☆
2025	79.4	220 of 1206	81.8%	★★★★☆
2024	86.2	117 of 1204	90.3%	★★★★★
2023	90.1	71 of 1198	94.1%	★★★★★
2022	79.5	183 of 1102	83.4%	★★★★☆
2021	79.6	152 of 1005	84.9%	★★★★☆
2019	88.6	76 of 1128	93.3%	★★★★★
2018	90.1	69 of 1253	94.5%	★★★★★

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Female (2026)93rd percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)91st percentile+3 vs school

White (2026)87th percentile~ school

Male (2026)83rd percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Science66%+26 vs state

English Language Arts64%+23 vs state

Math61%+23 vs state

Social Studies46%+19 vs state

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Schools Near Brown School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				PSAT English Language Arts (2026)	M-Step English Language Arts (2026)			M-Step Math (2026)			M-Step Science (2026)	M-Step Social Studies (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 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 Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Science 5th 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
Brown School	Public	PK, KG-5	2027 Brown School Rd	Saint Joseph	49085	Berrien County	St. Joseph Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 926-3500	410	19	21.2	22.9%	295 (72.0%)	33 (8.0%)	23 (5.6%)	30 (7.3%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (6.3%)	87.9	166^th of 1492 public elementary schools	88.9%		83.7	223^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	85.0%	57		58.7	71.7	64.8	61.3	79.2	46.5	66.2	46.5		$12,338	$519	$11,819
Stewart Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2750 Orchard Ln	Stevensville	49127	Berrien County	Lakeshore School District (Berrien)	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 428-1418	391	26	15.2	31.5%	295 (75.4%)	24 (6.1%)	18 (4.6%)	36 (9.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.3%)	67.7	437^th of 1492 public elementary schools	70.7%		76.8	310^th of 1488 public elementary schools	79.2%	127		50.0	48.1	61.1	55.0	39.0	27.3	55.6	44.4		$13,646	$1,599	$12,047
Lincoln School	Public	PK, KG-5	1102 Orchard Ave	Saint Joseph	49085	Berrien County	St. Joseph Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 926-3700	423	23	18.3	22.9%	308 (72.8%)	43 (10.2%)	36 (8.5%)	8 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (6.1%)	83.8	222^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	85.1%		80.9	259^th of 1488 public elementary schools	82.6%	37		69.2	69.1	59.7	75.0	61.7	31.9	63.9	44.4		$12,331	$632	$11,699
Roosevelt Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2000 El Dorado Dr	Stevensville	49127	Berrien County	Lakeshore School District (Berrien)	No	No	No	No	(269) 428-1416	412	26	15.7	28.9%	332 (80.6%)	10 (2.4%)	27 (6.6%)	24 (5.8%)	4 (1.0%)	2 (0.5%)	13 (3.2%)	84.7	201^st of 1492 public elementary schools	86.5%		84.6	212^th of 1488 public elementary schools	85.8%	11		50.0	61.5	75.4	52.7	61.5	63.1	63.1	44.6		$14,298	$683	$13,616
Clarke School	Public	PK, KG-5	515 E Glenlord Rd	Saint Joseph	49085	Berrien County	St. Joseph Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 926-3600	462	22	21.3	20.1%	340 (73.6%)	19 (4.1%)	32 (6.9%)	42 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.3%)	84.5	211^th of 1492 public elementary schools	85.9%		83.5	225^th of 1488 public elementary schools	84.9%	14		47.3	64.9	60.8	52.7	62.3	50.6	72.2	54.4		$11,847	$555	$11,292
Fair Plain East Elementary	Public	4-5	1995 Union Ave	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Benton Harbor Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 605-2400	150	13	11.5	95.3%	5 (3.3%)	132 (88.0%)	7 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.0%)	5.7	1468^th of 1492 public elementary schools	1.6%		6.7	1433^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	3.7%	35			8.2	9.3		6.1		14.7	4.0		$30,379	$12,297	$18,083
Mildred C Wells Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	248 9th St	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Mildred C. Wells Preparatory Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(269) 926-2885	227	14	16.3	100.0%	1 (0.4%)	221 (97.4%)	5 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10	1369^th of 1492 public elementary schools	8.2%					(n/a)	42.1	14.3		12.0	20.7	13.8				15.8	$00	$00	$00
Hollywood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	143 E John Beers Rd	Stevensville	49127	Berrien County	Lakeshore School District (Berrien)	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 428-1414	377	25	15.2	37.4%	312 (82.8%)	16 (4.2%)	31 (8.2%)	7 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (2.7%)	85.6	188^th of 1492 public elementary schools	87.4%		82.6	236^th of 1488 public elementary schools	84.1%	48		51.5	58.5	69.6	59.1	52.8	65.2	68.1	44.9		$16,319	$2,109	$14,210
Martin Luther King Junior Elementary	Public	1-3	750 E Britain Ave	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Benton Harbor Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 605-1500	229	22	10.4	89.1%	8 (3.5%)	197 (86.0%)	15 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.5%)								(n/a)		8.2			6.8						$27,150	$10,410	$16,740
Discovery Enrichment Center	Public	PK-K	465 S Mccord St	Benton Harbor	49022	Berrien County	Benton Harbor Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 605-1600	80	11	7.2	88.8%	0 (0.0%)	79 (98.8%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)											$31,369	$9,074	$22,295

Frequently Asked Questions about Brown School

What district is Brown School in?

St. Joseph Public Schools

How many students attend Brown School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 410 students attended Brown School.

What is the racial makeup of Brown School?

Students at Brown School are 72% White, 8% African American, 7% Asian, 6% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Brown School attend?

Students who attend Brown School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Upton Middle School
High : St Joseph High School

Is Brown School a good school?

Brown School ranks 166^th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

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Latest Michigan data All new data »

2025–26 M-Step, PSAT & SAT test scoresNewSep 4, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataJan 6, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Michigan Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.