There were 29 American Indian students enrolled in Montcalm County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 21.6% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.
Data showed that Montcalm County welcomed 10,472 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, American Indian students comprised 0.3% of the student body to be the second least represented ethnicity in the county.
Among the 29 schools in Montcalm County, Success Virtual Learning Centers of Michigan recorded the largest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of six 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 American Indian students enrolment | Total enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Early College at Montcalm Community College | 1.5% | 67 |
| Cedar Crest Elementary School | 1.4% | 281 |
| Montabella Junior-Senior High School | 0.8% | 383 |
| Vestaburg Community Elementary School | 0.4% | 247 |
| Central Montcalm Elementary School | 0.4% | 275 |
| Central Montcalm Upper Elementary School | 0.4% | 284 |
| Tri County Senior High School | 0.4% | 473 |
| Greenville Middle School | 0.4% | 797 |
| Success Virtual Learning Centers of Michigan | 0.4% | 1,648 |
| Greenville Senior High School | 0.3% | 1,044 |
| Lakeview Elementary School | 0.3% | 306 |
| Lakeview High School | 0.3% | 368 |
| Tri County Middle School | 0.3% | 381 |
| Central Montcalm Middle High School | 0.1% | 739 |
| Baldwin Heights School | 0% | 449 |
| Carson City-Crystal High School | 0% | 187 |
| Seiter Education Service Center | 0% | 82 |
| Carson City-Crystal Upper Elementary/Middle School | 0% | 262 |
| Vestaburg Community Alternative Education School Vestaburg | 0% | 282 |
| Walnut Hills Elementary School | 0% | 351 |
| Lakeview Middle School | 0% | 329 |
| Flat River Academy | 0% | 160 |
| Montabella Elementary School | 0% | 389 |
| Vestaburg Community High School | 0% | 307 |
| Carson City-Crystal Alternative Academy | 0% | 63 |
| Carson City Elementary School | 0% | 216 |
| Montcalm Area Independent School District (ISD) Transition Center | 0% | 26 |
| Intermediate School District Local Center Programs | 0% | 50 |
| Satterlee School | 0% | 26 |