Berrien Springs Public Schools

Individual Educational Plans

How a Rural District Became Michigan’s Fastest-Growing Innovator in Personalized Learning

In the quiet southwest corner of Michigan, surrounded by fruit farms and vineyards, Berrien Springs Public Schools (BSPS) is redefining what public education can be. Here, the scent of ripening grapes mixes with the sounds of 40 different languages spoken across a district that has become a model of flexibility, innovation, and inclusion.

“We’re a small rural district with global diversity,” says Superintendent Dr. Thomas Bruce. “We have generational farm families alongside international students from the local college, and we serve kids from inner cities and neighboring rural towns. What unites them is that we meet each student where they are.”

That philosophy—rooted in personalization and choice—has transformed Berrien Springs from a struggling small-town district into one of Michigan’s fastest-growing educational success stories, with enrollment skyrocketing by 212 percent over the past two decades.

From Struggle to Success

Sixteen years ago, Berrien Springs faced an uncertain future. Budget shortfalls and declining enrollment threatened the district’s viability—until then-Superintendent Jim Bermingham proposed a radical shift: rather than cutting programs, the district would expand opportunity.

Working alongside the Michigan Department of Education, Bermingham launched a network of alternative and virtual learning centers. The model flourished. Today, BSPS serves around 2,000 students on campus and an additional 5,000 learners across 28 offsite centers statewide, including three in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

“We’re one-third traditional district and two-thirds innovative choice educational programs,” explains Chief Strategy Officer Mitch Cumings. “We don’t just operate schools—we operate pathways for students who need something different to succeed.”

These centers now graduate more than 1,200 students each year, each ceremony packed with families whose applause and tears reflect what the program means to them. “Every graduation is electric,” Cumings says. “You see pride, joy, and hope on full display—it’s the purest expression of community.”

Community Partnerships that Power Opportunity

At the heart of Berrien Springs’ success is a deep commitment to partnership—not just with families, but with local school districts, employers, and community organizations across Michigan.

The district operates three divisions of offsite learning, each tailored to the needs of the communities it serves. The Linked Learning division, for example, partners with 16 local school districts to extend programs they might not otherwise afford—offering academic recovery, virtual learning, or specialized alternative education.

“When we partner with a district, we don’t replace what they have—we become an extension of it,” says Cumings. “Our role is to fill the gaps and create access to opportunities that might not exist otherwise.”

In urban areas such as Detroit, BSPS operates under an urban response model, designed for students who have dropped out or aged out of traditional schools. “We don’t go into these communities with a one-size-fits-all model,” says Dr. Bruce. “We go in asking, ‘What do you need, and how can we help?’”

Partnerships also extend to community colleges and industry programs such as the Greater Michigan Construction Academy. Through these collaborations, BSPS provides pathways to career and technical education (CTE) and post-secondary training—even in areas where access is limited. “If a student can’t get to a CTE center,” says Cumings, “we’ll bring the opportunity to them.”

Personalized Learning: “Have It Your Way”

Personalization is the backbone of the Berrien Springs approach. Borrowing inspiration from its former superintendent, Dave Eichberg, who famously dubbed BSPS “the Burger King of education—have it your way,” the district has spent decades perfecting its ability to tailor learning to the individual.

“We start by asking students what they want their future to look like,” explains Dr. Bruce. “As part of their planning, most students develop an Educational Development Plan (EDP) to map their goals, timeline, and interests. It’s not just about graduating—it’s about being ready for the next step.”

This philosophy bridges traditional and nontraditional education. A student pursuing a high school diploma online might also earn college credits, complete an industry certification, or gain hands-on experience through community work. “It’s not about the method,” Dr. Bruce says. “It’s about the outcome—making sure every student leaves us, Opportunity Ready.”

Building Spaces That Inspire

Whether on campus or in satellite centers, Berrien Springs invests in bright, modern, and safe learning environments. The district continually renovates its facilities, replacing outdated classrooms with vibrant, technology-driven spaces.

“We make sure to evaluate our learning spaces across the district each year, and we place them on a scheduled refresh cycle that includes new paint, updated furniture, and the latest technology,” says Dr. Bruce. “Our kids deserve the best.”

That philosophy extends to offsite centers, where many alternative education programs take place. “For too long, alternative students were taught in the basement or with hand-me-down equipment,” he says. “Our spaces look like tech startups—fresh, clean, and designed for collaboration.”

“We rent spaces in partnership communities as tutoring centers.  While we cannot demand that students attend, we know that when they come into the centers we can develop meaningful relationships more quickly. And, often our students find and create a new community with other students that attend the center,” Dr. Bruce relays.

“So, while our program is virtual in nature, we do everything we can to be more than that.  It is a hybrid program for some, and for others it is a self scheduled time to interact with staff and peers.  In fact we have a number of activities across these centers to entice students and their families to attend.  Everything from taco tuesday to family nights to decorating their motorboards for graduation,” he adds.

Recruiting Hearts, Not Just Resumes

Berrien Springs’ workforce strategy mirrors its educational one: personalized and purpose-driven. “Working in alternative education is not for everyone,” Cumings says. “It’s heart-first work.”

Each center employs a mix of certified teachers, relationship managers, social workers, and behavior coaches—a specialized role created to support students who’ve struggled in traditional environments. “These are students who’ve already fallen through the cracks somewhere else,” says Cumings. “We build programs around their needs, not the other way around.”

Teachers often work in dynamic arrangements, sharing time across multiple centers or blending in-person and remote instruction. “We’re big enough to be flexible,” Cumings explains. “That flexibility helps us attract and retain the right people—those who are passionate about helping kids find their way.”

The Power of Community Connection

From the start, Berrien Springs has believed that schools and communities are inseparable. “If we’re not helping and supporting our community,” Dr. Bruce says, “then the rest doesn’t matter.”

The district’s community-first mindset shows up in every partnership—from recreation programs to workforce initiatives—and even in how it engages policymakers.

“We’ve invited state legislators, mayors, and education leaders to visit our centers,” Bruce says. “We sit them down with our students and families first, then let them talk. The impact is immediate. They walk away understanding what we do and why it matters.”

Some of those same visitors have since spoken at graduations—or even enrolled their own children in Berrien Springs programs. “Once people see it in action, they get it,” says Cumings. “They realize this isn’t just an alternative—it’s an evolution.”

Across the country, parents are increasingly exploring nontraditional education—online learning, hybrid schools, and flexible models that align with family needs. Berrien Springs anticipated that trend long before it became mainstream.

“Families today are choosing schools like they choose food from a cafeteria line,” Dr. Bruce notes. “They want options that reflect their values and circumstances.”

Rather than resist the change, BSPS embraced it. The district now offers virtual programs, blended learning, early college dual enrollment, and workforce partnerships, all built around student choice.

“After COVID, many schools went back to their traditional models,” Bruce says. “We didn’t. We saw it as proof that education could adapt—and we leaned in.”

Opportunity Ready

Looking ahead, both Bruce and Cumings share a simple, unifying goal: to ensure that every student graduates “opportunity ready.”

“College and career readiness are important, but it’s bigger than that,” says Bruce. “We want students ready for opportunity—whatever it looks like for them.”

That could mean earning a welding certification, completing drivers’ training, or earning college credits while working part-time. “The old model said, ‘Make it or don’t,’” Bruce reflects. “Our model says, ‘Find your path, and we’ll help you walk it.’”

As Michigan’s fastest-growing school district, Berrien Springs has proven that innovation, empathy, and community can coexist—and thrive.

“We’re not waiting for education to change,” Cumings concludes. “We’re building the change we want to see—and helping every student, in every community, find their opportunity.”

AT A GLANCE

Who: Berrien Springs Public Schools

What: Innovative school district that believes in bringing out each student’s potential with individualized learning approaches.

Where: Southwest Michigan, USA

Website: www.homeoftheshamrocks.org