Thumb Reporter

There were 39 American Indian students enrolled in Lapeer County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 5.4% more than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Lapeer County welcomed 11,163 students during the 2023-24 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 and Almont Middle School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of four 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	470
Almont Middle School	1	400
Lapeer High School	0.3	1,118
Weston Elementary School	0.8	376
Rolland Warner Campus 6-7	0.5	607
Imlay City High School	0.4	518
Borland Elementary School	0.5	391
Dryden High School	0.9	232
Ruth Fox Middle School	0.3	732
North Branch Elementary School	0.2	944
Center for Innovation	1	198
Zemmer Campus (8-9)	0.2	636
Chatfield School	0.2	482
Dryden Elementary School	0.4	227
Almont High School	0.2	526
C. K. Schickler Elementary School	0.2	500
Imlay City Middle School	0.3	388
Turrill Elementary School	0.3	380
North Branch High School	0.1	692
Quest High School	2.2	45
Columbiaville Elementary School	0.3	355
Emma Murphy Elementary School	0	383
Venture High School	0	50
Elva Lynch Elementary School	0	433
Thumb Correctional Facility	0	4
Lapeer County Education and Technology Center	0	55
STRIVE Transition Program	0	21