Tri-City Sun

There were 34 American Indian students enrolled in Midland County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 5.6% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Midland County welcomed 11,359 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, American Indian students comprised 0.3% of the student body to be the least represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 26 schools in Midland County, Midland High School recorded the largest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of five 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 American Indian students enrolment	Total enrollment
Windover High School	2.1%	95
Pre-Primary Center at Carpenter Street School	1.6%	63
Bullock Creek Middle School	1.1%	348
Adams Elementary School	0.6%	479
Coleman Elementary School	0.6%	315
Plymouth Elementary School	0.5%	406
Pine River Elementary School	0.4%	254
Coleman Junior-Senior High School	0.4%	244
Bullock Creek High School	0.4%	462
Northeast Middle School	0.4%	789
Midland High School	0.4%	1,129
Woodcrest Elementary School	0.3%	600
Bullock Creek Elementary School	0.3%	303
Jefferson Middle School	0.3%	919
H. H. Dow High School	0.2%	1,272
Central Park Elementary School	0%	646
Post Secondary Transition Program	0%	22
Meridian Junior High School	0%	441
Juvenile Care Center	0%	11
Meridian Elementary School	0%	537
Chestnut Hill School	0%	416
Meridian Early College High School	0%	396
Floyd School	0%	306
Siebert School	0%	643
MCESA and Sugnet School Classroom Programs	0%	177
Academic and Career Education Academy	0%	86