UP Gazette

There were three Hawaiian students enrolled in Escanaba Area Public Schools in the 2022-23 school year, a 50% increase 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, Hawaiian students made up 0.1% of the student body, making them the least 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, Escanaba Upper Elementary School, and Lemmer Elementary School recorded the highest enrollment of Hawaiian students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of one 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 Hawaiian Students	Hawaiian %
2022-23	2,129	3	0.1%
2021-22	2,146	2	0.1%
2020-21	2,223	4	0.2%
2019-20	2,310	3	0.1%
2018-19	2,329	1	0%
2016-17	2,365	1	0%
2015-16	2,383	1	0%