UP Gazette

There were 38 Asian students enrolled in Marquette County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 2.7% more than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Marquette County welcomed 7,672 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, Asian students comprised 0.5% of the student body to be the second least represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 25 schools in Marquette County, Sandy Knoll School recorded the largest enrollment of Asian students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of seven students.

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,427,386 students enrolled in Michigan schools, a figure 4.8% below the pre-pandemic total of 1,499,552 in 2019-20, with white students seeing the largest decline of approximately 3%.

Academic performance in Michigan remains below pre-pandemic levels. According to the 2024 NAEP results, the share of students reaching the basic benchmark in core subjects is about 10 percentage points lower than in 2019—except for fourth-grade math, which saw a decline of just 2 points.

Achievement gaps between ethnic groups also persist. On average, Hispanic students scored 15 points below white students. The gap was even wider for Black students, who scored about 30 points lower than their white peers.

The 2025 education budget, approved by Gov. Whitmer last July, totals $23.4 billion—$900 million less than the previous year’s budget. K-12 schools are working with $20.6 billion, a reduction from the $21.5 billion allocated in 2024.

However, some school superintendents and educators were concerned about the new budget. "Schools cannot function properly without adequate funding for safety and mental health," stated Rep. David Martin, R-Davison, referring to a significant cut of around $301 million from school safety and mental health programs. Based on the current bill, the program will receive just $26.5 million.

School name	% of Asian students enrolment	Total enrollment
Sandy Knoll School	2.2%	322
Powell Township Elementary School	2.2%	46
North Star Montessori Academy	1.4%	145
Superior Hills Elementary School	1%	405
Bothwell Middle School	0.9%	696
Marquette Senior High School	0.6%	942
Aspen Ridge Elementary School	0.6%	721
Westwood High School	0.5%	384
K. I. Sawyer Elementary School	0.5%	207
Gwinn Middle-High School	0.4%	477
Birchview School	0.4%	233
Graveraet Elementary School	0.3%	289
Negaunee Middle School	0.2%	464
Marquette Branch Prison	0%	1
Wells Township School	0%	8
Republic-Michigamme School	0%	80
Marquette-Alger Administrative Unit	0%	50
Lakeview School	0%	584
Ishpeming Middle School	0%	185
Ishpeming-Negaunee-NICE Community Education Division	0%	22
George D. Gilbert Elementary School	0%	208
Negaunee High School	0%	474
Vandenboom Alternative High School	0%	127
Cherry Creek Elementary School	0%	430
Ishpeming High School	0%	172