LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Urban public school districts in the cities of Flint, Benton Harbor, Pontiac, Lansing, Detroit and Grand Rapids have been devastated by a loss of students over the past 25 years.

The school districts, faced with schools of choice and charter schools that offer parents more options, are faring far worse than the state average that has seen an overall 17% reduction in student enrollment from 1999-00 to 2024-25.

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For example, Flint Community Schools enrollment has gone from 23,692 in 1999-00 to 2,617 in 2024-25. Over that time span, the other districts have also seen big losses in students:

Detroit: 168,213 to 48,576
Grand Rapids: 25,954 to 13,628.
Lansing: 17,879 to 9,778
Pontiac: 12,511 to 3,768
Benton Harbor: 6,264 to 1,247

The schools have faced growing competition over a smaller pool of students. Schools of choice and charter schools have become more popular since introduced in 1996.

The number of charter schools in the state has increased from 138 in 1998-99 to 285 today. The number of charter schools peaked at 302 in 2014-15.

And schools of choice, which have to be approved by local school districts, have gained more acceptance over time.

For example, Flint has 6,578 students this year who are city residents who attend another school district. There are 1,047 students who reside in Flint who attend the Carman Ainsworth district about six miles away.

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Benton Harbor’s public school had 1,570 students this year who are city residents attending other schools. There were 748 students who lived in Benton Harbor who attended Countryside Academy charter school.