Tri-City Sun

There were eight American Indian students enrolled in Birch Run Area Schools in the 2022-23 school year, the same number as the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Birch Run Area Schools welcomed 1,817 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, American Indian students made up 0.4% of the student body, making them the second least represented ethnicity in the district.

Birch Run Area Schools roughly covers four schools within Saginaw County and has its main office in Birch Run.

Among the four schools in Birch Run Area Schools, Birch Run High School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of five 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 widening. Black and Hispanic students' average math proficiency dropped by 7% in 2022, to 13.5% and 28.2%, respectively.

Year	Total District Enrollment	Total American Indian Students	American Indian %
2022-23	1,817	8	0.4%
2021-22	1,847	8	0.4%
2020-21	1,843	7	0.4%
2019-20	1,879	9	0.5%
2018-19	1,871	11	0.6%
2017-18	1,903	12	0.6%
2016-17	1,901	14	0.7%
2015-16	1,891	13	0.7%