UP Gazette

There were 15 Hawaiian students enrolled in Marquette County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 6.3% less 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, Hawaiian students comprised 0.2% of the student body to be the least represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 25 schools in Marquette County, Westwood High School recorded the largest enrollment of Hawaiian students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of three 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 Hawaiian students enrolment	Total enrollment
Westwood High School	0.8%	384
Graveraet Elementary School	0.7%	289
Birchview School	0.4%	233
Aspen Ridge Elementary School	0.3%	721
Lakeview School	0.3%	584
Negaunee Middle School	0.2%	464
Negaunee High School	0.2%	474
Superior Hills Elementary School	0.2%	405
Marquette Senior High School	0.2%	942
Sandy Knoll School	0%	322
Bothwell Middle School	0%	696
North Star Montessori Academy	0%	145
Gwinn Middle-High School	0%	477
Powell Township Elementary School	0%	46
K. I. Sawyer Elementary School	0%	207
Marquette Branch Prison	0%	1
Wells Township School	0%	8
Republic-Michigamme School	0%	80
Marquette-Alger Administrative Unit	0%	50
Ishpeming Middle School	0%	185
Ishpeming-Negaunee-NICE Community Education Division	0%	22
George D. Gilbert Elementary School	0%	208
Vandenboom Alternative High School	0%	127
Cherry Creek Elementary School	0%	430
Ishpeming High School	0%	172