UP Gazette

There were 36 African American students enrolled in Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools in the 2022-23 school year, the same number as 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, African American students made up 1.8% of the student body, making them the third 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 Middle School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 14 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 African American Students	African American %
2022-23	1,957	36	1.8%
2021-22	1,978	36	1.8%
2020-21	1,939	32	1.7%
2019-20	1,973	34	1.7%
2018-19	2,023	31	1.5%
2017-18	2,171	31	1.4%
2016-17	2,247	29	1.3%
2015-16	2,264	27	1.2%