Tri-City Sun

Among the many ethnicities represented in Arenac County schools, white was the most prevalent ethnicity among Arenac County students in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Of the 1,921 students attending Arenac County schools, 94.2% were white. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 2.8% of Arenac County students.

In the previous school year, white students were still the most common group in Arenac County, representing 94.2% of the student body.

Standish-Sterling Central Elementary School and Standish-Sterling Central Junior-Senior High School had the most diverse student body in Arenac County including African American, American Indian, Asian, Hispanic, multiracial, and white.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in public schools in the county increased 0.6% when compared to the previous year.

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.

School name	Most represented ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Au Gres-Sims Elementary School	White	93.9%	180
Au Gres-Sims High School	White	88.7%	141
Au Gres-Sims Middle School	White	86.3%	95
Standish-Sterling Central Elementary School	White	94.3%	636
Standish-Sterling Central Junior-Senior High School	White	95.8%	694
Sterling Elementary School	White	96%	175