UP Gazette

There were 30 American Indian students enrolled in Houghton County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 11.1% more than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Houghton County welcomed 5,281 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, American Indian students comprised 0.6% of the student body to be the second 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 2023-24 school year, with a total of nine 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	10.8	83
E. B. Holman Elementary School	2.7	184
Chassell K-12 School	2.6	196
Dollar BayTamarack City Area K-12 School	1	314
Lake Linden-Hubbell Schools	0.6	355
Houghton Central High School	0.4	478
Houghton Elementary School	0.2	654
Hancock Middle-High School	0.3	322
Barkell Elementary School	0.4	255
Washington Middle School	0.4	277
Copper Island Academy	0	350
Calumet High School	0	499
Calumet Laurium & Keweenaw Elementary School	0	504
Jeffers High School	0	269
Houghton Middle School	0	346
South Range Elementary School	0	189
Elm River Township School	0	6