UP Gazette

There were 92 American Indian students enrolled in Escanaba Area Public Schools in the 2022-23 school year, a 9.8% decrease compared to the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Escanaba Area Public Schools welcomed 2,129 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, American Indian students made up 4.3% of the student body, making them the second most represented ethnicity in the district.

Escanaba Area Public Schools roughly covers five schools within Delta County and has its main office in Escanaba.

Among the five schools in Escanaba Area Public Schools, Escanaba Junior-Senior High School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 51 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 widening. Black and Hispanic students' average math proficiency dropped by 7% in 2022, to 13.5% and 28.2%, respectively.

Year	Total District Enrollment	Total American Indian Students	American Indian %
2022-23	2,129	92	4.3%
2021-22	2,146	102	4.8%
2020-21	2,223	118	5.3%
2019-20	2,310	121	5.2%
2018-19	2,329	129	5.5%
2017-18	2,279	126	5.5%
2016-17	2,365	132	5.6%
2015-16	2,383	127	5.3%