West Central Michigan News

There were 33 American Indian students enrolled in Mecosta County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 13.2% less 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, American Indian students comprised 0.6% of the student body to be the third lowest represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 16 schools in Mecosta County, Mosaic School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of six 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
Mosaic School	6.2	97
Big Rapids Middle School	0.6	646
Chippewa Hills High School	0.8	476
Brookside Elementary School	0.7	417
Crossroads Charter Academy (K-6)	1.9	160
Chippewa Hills Intermediate School	0.6	513
Morley Stanwood Elementary School	0.4	461
Crossroads Charter Academy (7-12)	1.3	150
Mecosta Elementary School	0.9	228
Big Rapids High School	0.1	714
Barryton Elementary School	0.5	221
Morley Stanwood Middle School	0.4	226
Morley Stanwood High School	0.3	362
Riverview Elementary School	0	421
Big Rapids Virtual School	0	152
Mecosta-Osceola Education Center	0	117