Enrollment Analysis: American Indian students comprised 49.5% of St. Ignace Area Schools's student body in 2022-23 school year

MI Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael F. Rice 2023 | Michigan Department of Education

By UP Gazette

Dec 13, 2023

There were 208 American Indian students enrolled in St. Ignace Area Schools in the 2022-23 school year, a 8.4% decrease compared to the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that St. Ignace Area Schools welcomed 420 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, American Indian students made up 49.5% of the student body, making them the most represented ethnicity in the district.

St. Ignace Area Schools roughly covers three schools within Mackinac County and has its main office in St. Ignace.

Among the three schools in St. Ignace Area Schools, St. Ignace Elementary-Middle School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 115 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.

Ethnicities in St. Ignace Area Schools in 2022-23 School Year