UP Gazette

There were 64 African American students enrolled in Marquette County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 13.5% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Marquette County welcomed 7,855 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 0.8% of the student body to be the third lowest represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 25 schools in Marquette County, Marquette Senior High School, Bothwell Middle School, Gwinn Middle-High School, and K. I. Sawyer Elementary School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of six 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 African American students enrolment	Total enrollment
Marquette Senior High School	0.7	918
Bothwell Middle School	0.8	711
Gwinn Middle-High School	1.2	498
K. I. Sawyer Elementary School	2.5	243
Sandy Knoll School	1.4	349
Ishpeming Middle School	2.6	191
Graveraet Elementary School	1.4	296
North Star Montessori Academy	1.6	190
Negaunee High School	0.7	452
Westwood High School	0.8	394
Marquette-Alger Administrative Unit	7.7	39
Birchview School	1.3	237
Superior Hills Elementary School	0.6	361
Aspen Ridge Elementary School	0.3	747
Vandenboom Alternative High School	1.3	149
Lakeview School	0.2	591
Negaunee Middle School	0.2	468
Ishpeming High School	0.5	211
Republic-Michigamme School	1.2	86
Marquette Branch Prison	100	1
Cherry Creek Elementary School	0	416
Powell Township Elementary School	0	42
George D. Gilbert Elementary School	0	239
Wells Township School	0	14
Ishpeming-Negaunee-NICE Community Education Division	0	12