Tri-City Sun

There were 28 African American students enrolled in Birch Run Area Schools in the 2022-23 school year, a 12.5% decrease compared to 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, African American students made up 1.5% of the student body, making them the third most 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, Marshall Greene Middle School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 12 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 African American Students	African American %
2022-23	1,817	28	1.5%
2021-22	1,847	32	1.7%
2020-21	1,843	34	1.8%
2019-20	1,879	32	1.7%
2018-19	1,871	33	1.8%
2017-18	1,903	42	2.2%
2016-17	1,901	33	1.7%
2015-16	1,891	29	1.5%