UP Gazette

There were 27 American Indian students enrolled in Houghton County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 50% more than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Houghton County welcomed 5,274 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, American Indian students comprised 0.5% of the student body to be the third lowest represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 17 schools in Houghton County, Copper Country Learning Center recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of eight 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 have widened. Black and Hispanic students' average math proficiency dropped by 7% in 2022, to 13.5% and 28.2%, respectively.

School name	% of American Indian students enrolment	Total enrollment
Copper Country Learning Center	10.3	78
Chassell K-12 School	2.5	197
E. B. Holman Elementary School	2.2	182
Barkell Elementary School	0.7	272
Houghton Elementary School	0.3	643
Washington Middle School	0.3	291
Houghton Middle School	0.3	341
Hancock Middle-High School	0.3	332
Jeffers High School	0.4	254
Calumet High School	0.2	485
Lake Linden-Hubbell Schools	0.3	376
Dollar BayTamarack City Area K-12 School	0	306
Calumet Laurium & Keweenaw Elementary School	0	515
Houghton Central High School	0	461
South Range Elementary School	0	212
Copper Island Academy	0	324
Elm River Township School	0	5