UP Gazette

The majority of students in Chippewa County districts were white in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Of the 4,662 students attending Chippewa County district schools, 54.4% were white. American Indian students were the second largest ethnic group among Chippewa County's districts (39.1%).

In the previous school year, white students were still the most common group in Chippewa County, representing 55.2% of the student body.

Joseph K. Lumsden Bahweting Anishnabe Academy had the most even distribution of races among the county districts, including 49.5% American Indian students, 38.1% white students, 7.2% multiracial students, 3.4% Hispanic students, 0.8% Asian students, 0.7% African American students, and 0.3% Hawaiian students.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in school districts in the county dropped 0.3% compared to the previous year.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Chippewa County.

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.

District	Most Prevalent Ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Brimley Area Schools	American Indian	50.2%	460
DeTour Area Schools	White	78.5%	93
DeTour Arts and Technology Academy	White	70.1%	67
Eastern Upper Peninsula ISD	White	64%	261
Joseph K. Lumsden Bahweting Anishnabe Academy	American Indian	49.5%	596
Lake Superior Academy	White	64.7%	85
Ojibwe Charter School	American Indian	86.8%	144
Pickford Public Schools	White	69.3%	463
Rudyard Area Schools	White	60.4%	603
Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools	White	56.2%	1,957
Whitefish Township Schools	White	84.1%	63