Thumb Reporter

There were 98 African American students enrolled in Lapeer County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 14% more than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Lapeer County welcomed 11,303 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 0.9% of the student body to be the fourth highest represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 27 schools in Lapeer County, Thumb Correctional Facility recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2022-23 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 African American students enrolment	Total enrollment
Thumb Correctional Facility	69.2	13
North Branch Elementary School	0.9	923
Turrill Elementary School	2	391
Imlay City High School	1.5	524
Weston Elementary School	2.1	385
Lapeer High School	0.6	1,196
Rolland Warner Campus 6-7	1.2	576
Elva Lynch Elementary School	1.4	421
Zemmer Campus (8-9)	0.7	688
C. K. Schickler Elementary School	1	512
Ruth Fox Middle School	0.7	684
North Branch High School	0.6	701
Center for Innovation	2.2	186
Quest High School	6.3	64
Emma Murphy Elementary School	0.5	388
Lapeer County Education and Technology Center	3.7	54
Chatfield School	0.2	483
Imlay City Middle School	0.3	396
Dryden Elementary School	0.4	231
Dryden High School	0.4	239
Borland Elementary School	0.3	390
Almont Middle School	0.2	425
Orchard Primary School	0	557
Columbiaville Elementary School	0	378
Almont High School	0	418
Venture High School	0	58
STRIVE Transition Program	0	22