Tri-City Sun

There were 10 American Indian students enrolled in Arenac County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 23.1% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Arenac County welcomed 1,921 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, American Indian students comprised 0.5% of the student body to be the second lowest represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the six schools in Arenac County, Standish-Sterling Central Elementary School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of seven students.

Overall student enrollment in Michigan remains below pre-pandemic levels, with white students experiencing the largest decline at 6.5%.

Academic performance has also suffered, with the state's average NAEP score dropping by 6.5 points and ethnic achievement gaps have widened. Black and Hispanic students' average math proficiency dropped by 7% in 2022, to 13.5% and 28.2%, respectively.

School name	% of American Indian students enrolment	Total enrollment
Standish-Sterling Central Elementary School	1.1	636
Standish-Sterling Central Junior-Senior High School	0.4	694
Au Gres-Sims Middle School	0	95
Au Gres-Sims Elementary School	0	180
Sterling Elementary School	0	175
Au Gres-Sims High School	0	141