UP Gazette

There were 39 African American students enrolled in Delta County districts in the 2022-23 school year, 5.4% more than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Delta County welcomed 4,379 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 0.9% of the student body to be the third least represented ethnicity in the county districts.

Among the six districts in Delta County, Escanaba Area Public Schools recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 17 students.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Delta County.

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.

District	% of African American Students Enrolled	Total Enrollment
Big Bay De Noc School District	0.6%	176
Delta-Schoolcraft ISD	0.3%	287
Escanaba Area Public Schools	0.8%	2,129
Gladstone Area Schools	0.3%	1,490
Mid Peninsula School District	3.1%	191
Rapid River Public Schools	0.7%	278