Tri-City Sun

There were 12 Asian students enrolled in Gratiot County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 7.7% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Gratiot County welcomed 5,031 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, Asian students comprised 0.2% of the student body to be the second least represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 22 schools in Gratiot County, Pine Avenue Elementary School recorded the largest enrollment of Asian students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of three students.

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,427,386 students enrolled in Michigan schools, a figure 4.8% below the pre-pandemic total of 1,499,552 in 2019-20, with white students seeing the largest decline of approximately 3%.

Academic performance in Michigan remains below pre-pandemic levels. According to the 2024 NAEP results, the share of students reaching the basic benchmark in core subjects is about 10 percentage points lower than in 2019—except for fourth-grade math, which saw a decline of just 2 points.

Achievement gaps between ethnic groups also persist. On average, Hispanic students scored 15 points below white students. The gap was even wider for Black students, who scored about 30 points lower than their white peers.

The 2025 education budget, approved by Gov. Whitmer last July, totals $23.4 billion—$900 million less than the previous year’s budget. K-12 schools are working with $20.6 billion, a reduction from the $21.5 billion allocated in 2024.

However, some school superintendents and educators were concerned about the new budget. "Schools cannot function properly without adequate funding for safety and mental health," stated Rep. David Martin, R-Davison, referring to a significant cut of around $301 million from school safety and mental health programs. Based on the current bill, the program will receive just $26.5 million.

School name	% of Asian students enrolment	Total enrollment
Fulton Middle School	1.7%	119
Pine Avenue Elementary School	1.1%	265
Carrie Knause Early Childhood Learning Center	0.5%	206
Alma Senior High School	0.4%	552
Hillcrest Elementary School	0.3%	400
Breckenridge High School	0.3%	310
Ithaca High School	0.2%	442
Donald L. Pavlik Middle School	0.2%	457
Fulton Elementary School	0%	261
North Elementary School	0%	295
Central Michigan Correctional Facility	0%	1
Ashley Elementary School	0%	60
St. Louis High School	0%	244
South Elementary School	0%	234
Ashley Middle School	0%	54
Fulton High School	0%	173
Luce Road Elementary School	0%	141
Breckenridge Elementary School	0%	324
Ashley High School	0%	48
T. S. Nurnberger Middle School	0%	217
Eugene M. Nikkari Elementary School	0%	215
St. Louis Correctional Facility	0%	13