North Michigan News

There were 19 African American students enrolled in Manistee Area Public Schools in the 2022-23 school year, a 5.6% increase compared to the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Manistee Area Public Schools welcomed 1,225 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, African American students made up 1.6% of the student body, making them the third least represented ethnicity in the district.

Manistee Area Public Schools roughly covers three schools within Manistee County and has its main office in Manistee.

Among the three schools in Manistee Area Public Schools, Manistee Middle High School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 14 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 widening. Black and Hispanic students' average math proficiency dropped by 7% in 2022, to 13.5% and 28.2%, respectively.

Year	Total District Enrollment	Total African American Students	African American %
2022-23	1,225	19	1.6%
2021-22	1,230	18	1.5%
2020-21	1,298	21	1.6%
2019-20	1,344	26	1.9%
2018-19	1,399	28	2%
2017-18	1,442	34	2.4%
2016-17	1,496	31	2.1%
2015-16	1,546	34	2.2%