Tri-City Sun

There were 11 African American students enrolled in Arenac County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 15.4% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Arenac County welcomed 1,892 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 0.6% of the student body to be the third lowest represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the six schools in Arenac County, Standish-Sterling Central Junior-Senior High School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2023-24 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 have widened. Black and Hispanic students' average math proficiency dropped by 7% in 2022, to 13.5% and 28.2%, respectively.

School name	% of African American students enrolment	Total enrollment
Standish-Sterling Central Junior-Senior High School	0.8	659
Standish-Sterling Central Elementary School	0.6	649
Au Gres-Sims Middle School	2.1	95
Au Gres-Sims Elementary School	0	166
Au Gres-Sims High School	0	149
Sterling Elementary School	0	174