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View from Park St. JosephPhoto: ShadZ01 · CC BY-SA 4.0
B+
Schools in St. Joseph Township · St. Joseph Public Schools, Benton Harbor Area Schools

St. Joseph Township’s public schools outscore 65% of Michigan districts

In St. Joseph Township, 98% of each class finishes high school in four years, above the Michigan average (82%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving St. Joseph Township, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Michigan, not nationally.

#358of 699 Michigan townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From Michigan state tests taken in spring 2022, when 94% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
47%
▲ 1 pts vs MI 45%
2021–22
Math proficiency
36%
▲ 2 pts vs MI 34%
2021–22
Graduate on time
98%
▲ 16 pts vs MI 82%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$13.6K
▼ 18% vs MI $16.5K
FY2024 · St. Joseph
Students per teacher
16.0
MI 16.5
Schools in town
2
2,742 students on the public path
In brief

St. Joseph Township’s schools, in brief

Against towns with similar incomes

Among the 771 Michigan towns with household incomes within a quarter of St. Joseph Township’s, its schools beat 42%, lower than their 65% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Above the state on both counts

Reading proficiency is 47% and math 36% across both districts in spring 2022, against 45% and 34% statewide; 98% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 82%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

St. Joseph spends $13,601 per student and Benton Harbor Area Schools $25,288, against $16,528 across Michigan (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Choice beyond the district

Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Elem School (private) is in town. Every school ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind St. Joseph Township’s grade

B+ Test scoresA+ Graduation

B+: better than 65% of Michigan school districts, #358 of 699 Michigan towns. Test scores and graduation are both above the Michigan average; graduation is the stronger of the two.

Michigan school districts we grade (815)Better than 65%
Lower resultsHigher results
Michigan towns with similar household incomes (771)Better than 42%
Towns in Berrien County (22)Better than 45%
BB+A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 2,138 test results and a graduating class of 249 could put St. Joseph Township anywhere from B to B+. The tests are from spring 2022, when 94% of St. Joseph Township’s students in the tested grades sat them (2,136 in math, 2,140 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve St. Joseph Township, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
PK–5Brown SchoolSt. Joseph Public SchoolsA
6–82 middle schoolsDepends on your addressD− to A
9–122 high schoolsDepends on your addressD− to A

St. Joseph Township runs its own schools through grade 12 (St. Joseph Public Schools). From grade PK, students attend the Benton Harbor Area Schools, shared with Bainbridge, Benton, Benton Harbor and Sodus. Its middle school is in Saint Joseph. Parts of St. Joseph Township (5% of its land) are served by Lakeshore instead. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve St. Joseph Township

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

St. Joseph Public SchoolsGrades PK–12 · 5 schools · 2,918 students, down 1% since 2020–21 · 19.6 per teacher (MI 16.5)
$13,601MI $16,528 · FY2024
A
Benton Harbor Area SchoolsGrades PK–12 · 6 schools · 1,227 students, down 24% since 2020–21 · 11.2 per teacher (MI 16.5)
$25,288MI $16,528 · FY2024
D−
Test scores · 2021–22

Close to the state in reading

Reading · PK–12, St. Joseph Public Schools65%
State average 45.4% · 1483 students tested
Math · PK–12, St. Joseph Public Schools51%
State average 33.6% · 1484 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Benton Harbor Area Schools5%
State average 45.4% · 657 students tested
Math · PK–12, Benton Harbor Area Schoolsunder 1%
State average 33.6% · 652 students tested

St. Joseph Township vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Michigan towns that share St. Joseph Township’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
St. Joseph TownshipB+St. Joseph PK–12 · Benton Harbor Area Schools PK–12
St. Joseph (city)ASt. Joseph
Shoreham—St. Joseph
Benton HarborD−Benton Harbor Area Schools
RoyaltonA−St. Joseph PK–12 · Lakeshore PK–12 · Berrien Springs PK–12
LincolnALakeshore

3 of the 5 neighbors share St. Joseph with St. Joseph Township for grades PK–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in St. Joseph Township

6 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Michigan’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

District schools in St. Joseph Townshipby address
Brown School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Saint Joseph
A
410 students21:1Rate it →
Also serving St. Joseph Townshipin other towns
Upton Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Saint Joseph
A
690 students19:1Rate it →
Fair Plain Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Benton Harbor
D−
240 students11:1Rate it →
St Joseph High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Saint Joseph
A
933 students19:1Rate it →
Benton Harbor High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Benton Harbor
D−
469 students14:1Rate it →
Private schoolstuition; no state tests, so no grade
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Elem School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Saint Joseph
Private · Catholic
208 students12:1Rate it →

Questions about St. Joseph Township’s schools

Are St. Joseph Township’s schools good?

By Michigan’s own tests, yes: the public schools St. Joseph Township children attend outscore 65% of Michigan’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B+ Schools grade, #358 of 699 Michigan towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 42%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is St. Joseph Township in?

Two districts: St. Joseph Public Schools runs grades PK–12, and Benton Harbor Area Schools runs grades PK–12, shared with Bainbridge, Benton, Benton Harbor and Sodus.

Where do St. Joseph Township kids go to high school?

One of 2 high schools, depending on your address: St Joseph High School and Benton Harbor High School.

What is St. Joseph Township’s graduation rate?

98% of the class of 2023 in St. Joseph Public Schools graduated in four years, against 82% across Michigan.

How much does St. Joseph Township spend per student?

$13,601 in St. Joseph Public Schools and $25,288 in Benton Harbor Area Schools (FY2024), against $16,528 across Michigan. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Are there private schools in St. Joseph Township?

Yes: Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Elem School (Catholic, grades PK–5, 208 students).

Parents talk

What St. Joseph Township families are saying about school.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near St. Joseph Township → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Michigan. Stars are from neighbors.