UP Gazette

There were 747 American Indian students enrolled in Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools in the 2022-23 school year, a 0.7% decrease compared to the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools welcomed 1,957 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, American Indian students made up 38.2% of the student body, making them the second most represented ethnicity in the district.

Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools roughly covers six schools within Chippewa County and has its main office in Sault Sainte Marie.

Among the six schools in Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools, Sault Area High School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 278 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	1,957	747	38.2%
2021-22	1,978	752	38%
2020-21	1,939	722	37.2%
2019-20	1,973	734	37.2%
2018-19	2,023	745	36.8%
2017-18	2,171	808	37.2%
2016-17	2,247	830	36.9%
2015-16	2,264	805	35.6%