Thumb Reporter

There were 37 American Indian students enrolled in Lapeer County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 14% less 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, American Indian students comprised 0.3% of the student body to be the second lowest represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 27 schools in Lapeer County, Orchard Primary School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of five 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
Orchard Primary School	0.9	557
Almont Middle School	0.9	425
Lapeer High School	0.3	1,196
Imlay City High School	0.4	524
Zemmer Campus (8-9)	0.3	688
Weston Elementary School	0.5	385
Emma Murphy Elementary School	0.5	388
Dryden Elementary School	0.9	231
Borland Elementary School	0.5	390
North Branch Elementary School	0.2	923
North Branch High School	0.3	701
C. K. Schickler Elementary School	0.2	512
Rolland Warner Campus 6-7	0.2	576
Almont High School	0.2	418
Elva Lynch Elementary School	0.2	421
Ruth Fox Middle School	0.1	684
Center for Innovation	0.5	186
Quest High School	1.6	64
Dryden High School	0.4	239
Columbiaville Elementary School	0.3	378
Chatfield School	0	483
Imlay City Middle School	0	396
Thumb Correctional Facility	0	13
Turrill Elementary School	0	391
Lapeer County Education and Technology Center	0	54
Venture High School	0	58
STRIVE Transition Program	0	22