UP Gazette

There were 105 American Indian students enrolled in Watersmeet Township School District in the 2022-23 school year, a 2.8% decrease compared to the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Watersmeet Township School District welcomed 150 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, American Indian students made up 70% of the student body, making them the most represented ethnicity in the district.

Watersmeet Township School District roughly covers one school within Gogebic County and has its main office in Watersmeet.

Watersmeet Township School was the only school in the district which enrolled American Indian students, welcoming 105 students in the 2022-23 school year.

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	150	105	70%
2021-22	144	108	75%
2020-21	134	100	74.6%
2019-20	143	100	69.9%
2018-19	134	91	67.9%
2017-18	144	97	67.4%
2016-17	149	94	63.1%
2015-16	148	96	64.9%