North Michigan News

Among the many ethnicities represented in Manistee County schools, white was the most prevalent ethnicity among Manistee County students in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Of the 6,004 students attending Manistee County schools, 69% were white. African American students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 14.6% of Manistee County students.

In the previous school year, white students were still the most common group in Manistee County, representing 69% of the student body.

Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy had the most even distribution of races among the county schools, which included 55.3% white students, 24.7% African American students, 9.5% Hispanic students, 8.6% multiracial students, 1.3% Asian students, 0.4% American Indian students, and 0.1% Hawaiian students.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in public schools in the county increased 0.9% when compared to the previous year.

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.

School name	Most represented ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Bear Lake Elementary School	White	84.7%	163
Bear Lake High School	White	80.3%	127
Betsie Valley School	White	91.9%	136
Brethren High School	White	84.2%	177
Brethren Middle School	White	83.6%	73
Casman Alternative Academy	White	87.3%	63
John F. Kennedy Elementary School	White	87.5%	279
KND Elementary School	White	88.2%	289
Manistee ISD Center Programs	White	83.9%	56
Manistee Middle High School	White	85.3%	687
Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy	White	55.3%	3,391
Onekama Consolidated Schools	White	91.1%	304
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School	White	88%	259