West Central Michigan News

There were 30 American Indian students enrolled in Mecosta County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 9.1% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Mecosta County welcomed 5,079 students during the 2023-24 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, Morley Stanwood Elementary School and Chippewa Hills Intermediate School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of five 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
Morley Stanwood Elementary School	1.2	432
Chippewa Hills Intermediate School	1	515
Big Rapids Middle School	0.6	618
Chippewa Hills High School	0.9	459
Big Rapids High School	0.3	747
Morley Stanwood High School	0.6	309
Mosaic School	2.2	91
Riverview Elementary School	0.3	321
Barryton Elementary School	0.5	205
Crossroads Charter Academy (K-6)	0.7	146
Morley Stanwood Middle School	0.4	234
Crossroads Charter Academy (7-12)	0.7	144
Mecosta Elementary School	0.4	252
Brookside Elementary School	0	342
Big Rapids Virtual School	0	133
Mecosta-Osceola Education Center	0	131