West Central Michigan News

There were 271 multiracial students enrolled in Mecosta County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 3% more than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Mecosta County welcomed 5,361 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, multiracial students comprised 5.1% of the student body to be the second highest represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 16 schools in Mecosta County, Big Rapids Middle School and Brookside Elementary School recorded the highest enrollment of multiracial students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 40 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 multiracial students enrolment	Total enrollment
Big Rapids Middle School	6.2	646
Brookside Elementary School	9.6	417
Morley Stanwood Elementary School	6.3	461
Chippewa Hills High School	5.5	476
Big Rapids High School	3.4	714
Chippewa Hills Intermediate School	4.3	513
Riverview Elementary School	4.8	421
Morley Stanwood High School	3.9	362
Mecosta Elementary School	6.1	228
Big Rapids Virtual School	6.6	152
Mosaic School	8.2	97
Crossroads Charter Academy (K-6)	4.4	160
Morley Stanwood Middle School	2.7	226
Mecosta-Osceola Education Center	4.3	117
Barryton Elementary School	1.8	221
Crossroads Charter Academy (7-12)	1.3	150