The top reported proficiency rate is 61% in Science. The lowest is 45% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Hollywood Elementary School
Hollywood Elementary School sits in Stevensville, a small village in Berrien County that began as a farming community along a rail line and has grown into a residential spot with a compact downtown and close ties to Lake Michigan. The village is part of the Benton Harbor and St. Joseph Twin Cities urban area, just a short drive south of St. Joseph and less than a mile from the lakefront. Downtown Stevensville runs along St. Joseph Avenue with restaurants, a bakery, a brewery, and small retail, giving the village a walkable core. Street life centers on community events: a car show in early June, a village-wide garage sale, family fun night in late August, and Christmas in the Village in December. Parks and natural areas are scattered around the village, including Grand Mere State Park with its dunes and shoreline, Lincoln Township Park with its splash pad and courts, and a wooded nature area along Hickory Creek. The village itself has seen essentially flat population growth over recent decades, constrained by its small footprint within Lincoln Township. No major new housing subdivisions or large-scale commercial development were identified in available sources.
Hollywood Elementary is part of Lakeshore School District (Berrien), a district shared with neighboring Baroda. It serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school. The enrollment is moderate for an elementary building, and the student body is predominantly white, with small Hispanic, Black, and Asian populations. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not reported, so those population sizes are unknown here. Two private Lutheran schools also operate in Stevensville for families seeking a faith-based Pre-K through grade eight alternative.
On state assessments, Hollywood Elementary posts strong results. In math, proficiency rises steadily from third grade through fifth grade, with well over half of fifth graders reaching proficiency. English language arts follows a similar arc, with third grade the weakest point and fifth grade the strongest. Fifth grade science proficiency is solid, with most tested students meeting the bar. Social studies is the clear soft spot, with fewer than half of fifth graders proficient. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, though a single tested grade gives only a limited window. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency sits in the top quartile relative to districts in Berrien County, well above the county median and approaching the county's highest-performing district. This is a strong academic position for a public elementary school in this area.
The housing market in the Stevensville zip code carries typical home values above the Michigan state benchmark but below the national figure. The price-to-income ratio sits near four, meaning a family earning around the median income would need roughly four years of earnings to cover a typical home price. Estimated monthly mortgage costs exceed estimated rent by a modest margin, and rent relative to income falls in a generally manageable range. Rent data specifically was not available, so the rental picture is drawn from broader affordability estimates. Home values have been appreciating at a healthy pace year over year, consistent with lakeshore-related development pressure in the broader Berrien County area.
The school does not have reported data on staffing, course access, discipline, attendance, or chronic absenteeism, so those dimensions of school environment could not be assessed. Program offerings were not available either. No recent parent-relevant district changes were found in publicly reported sources. Graduation rate does not apply here because Hollywood Elementary serves only elementary grades. The same is true for any high school-level metrics. What the available data does show is a small-town elementary school with a cohesive community setting, a strong proficiency record across most subjects, and a particular area in fifth grade social studies where results are weaker. For a family drawn to lakeside living with a walkable village core, Hollywood Elementary offers a solid academic foundation within a stable, close-knit community.
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