Thumb Reporter

There were 74 Asian students enrolled in St. Clair County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 20.4% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that St. Clair County welcomed 20,552 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, Asian students comprised 0.4% of the student body to be the third least represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 53 schools in St. Clair County, Anchor Bay High School recorded the largest enrollment of Asian students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of 13 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
Keewahdin Elementary School	1%	510
Francois Maconce Elementary School	0.9%	319
Morton Elementary School	0.9%	317
St. Clair High School	0.8%	715
Anchor Bay High School	0.7%	1,740
St. Clair Middle School	0.7%	614
Landmark Academy	0.6%	726
Yale Senior High School	0.6%	509
Fort Gratiot Middle School	0.6%	533
Memphis Elementary School	0.6%	321
Woodland Developmental Center	0.5%	187
Virtual Learning Academyof St. Clair County	0.5%	189
Blue Water Middle College Academy	0.5%	205
H. D. Crull Elementary School	0.5%	397
Port Huron Northern High School	0.5%	1,089
Gardens Elementary School	0.4%	469
Port Huron High School	0.4%	988
Avoca Elementary School	0.4%	243
Garfield Elementary School	0.3%	377
Capac Elementary School	0.3%	326
Capac Junior-Senior High School	0.3%	298
Algonac Junior-Senior High School	0.2%	644
Yale Junior High School	0.2%	425
Washington Elementary School	0.2%	460
Algonquin Elementary School	0.2%	445
Central Middle School	0.2%	599
Marysville High School	0.2%	806
Marysville Middle School	0.2%	603
STEAM Academy at Woodrow Wilson Elementary	0%	246
Holland Woods Middle School	0%	404
Marine City Middle School	0%	330
East Shore Leadership Academy	0%	163
Port Huron Schools Phoenix Academy	0%	141
Pine River Elementary School	0%	335
Harrison Center	0%	10
Michigamme Elementary School	0%	341
Edison Elementary School	0%	404
Gearing Elementary School	0%	353
St. Clair County Intervention Academy	0%	35
Belle River Elementary School	0%	343
Indian Woods Elementary School	0%	357
Roosevelt Elementary School	0%	270
Literacy Academy at Cleveland Elementary	0%	250
Yale Elementary School	0%	329
Millside Elementary School	0%	179
Marine City High School	0%	437
Capac Virtual Education Program	0%	57
John F. Farrell-Emmett Elementary School	0%	211
Phoenix Alternative School	0%	6
East China Virtual Academy	0%	33
Palms Elementary School	0%	245
Algonac Alternative Education	0%	19
	0%	2