UP Gazette

There were five African American students enrolled in Gladstone Area Schools in the 2022-23 school year, a 37.5% decrease compared to the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Gladstone Area Schools welcomed 1,490 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, African American students made up 0.3% of the student body, making them the second least represented ethnicity in the district.

Gladstone Area Schools roughly covers four schools within Delta County and has its main office in Gladstone.

Among the four schools in Gladstone Area Schools, Gladstone Area High School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of three 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	1,490	5	0.3%
2021-22	1,513	8	0.5%
2020-21	1,522	8	0.5%
2019-20	1,548	9	0.6%
2018-19	1,538	10	0.7%
2017-18	1,590	9	0.6%
2016-17	1,646	10	0.6%
2015-16	1,585	13	0.8%