UP Gazette

There were 16 African American students enrolled in Mackinac County districts in the 2022-23 school year, 27.3% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Mackinac County welcomed 1,152 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 1.4% of the student body to be the second least represented ethnicity in the county districts.

Among the seven districts in Mackinac County, St. Ignace Area Schools recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of nine students.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Mackinac 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
Engadine Consolidated Schools	1.5%	340
Les Cheneaux Community Schools	0.4%	227
Mackinac Island Public Schools	1.7%	58
Moran Township School District	2.2%	89
St. Ignace Area Schools	2.1%	420