North Michigan News

There were 12 Hawaiian students enrolled in Wexford County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 14.3% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Wexford County welcomed 8,564 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, Hawaiian students comprised 0.1% of the student body to be the least represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 14 schools in Wexford County, Highpoint Virtual Academy of Michigan, Cadillac Senior High School, and Cadillac Innovation High School recorded the largest enrollment of Hawaiian students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of two students.

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,427,386 students enrolled in Michigan schools, a figure 4.8% below the pre-pandemic total of 1,499,552 in 2019-20, with white students seeing the largest decline of approximately 3%.

Academic performance in Michigan remains below pre-pandemic levels. According to the 2024 NAEP results, the share of students reaching the basic benchmark in core subjects is about 10 percentage points lower than in 2019—except for fourth-grade math, which saw a decline of just 2 points.

Achievement gaps between ethnic groups also persist. On average, Hispanic students scored 15 points below white students. The gap was even wider for Black students, who scored about 30 points lower than their white peers.

The 2025 education budget, approved by Gov. Whitmer last July, totals $23.4 billion—$900 million less than the previous year’s budget. K-12 schools are working with $20.6 billion, a reduction from the $21.5 billion allocated in 2024.

However, some school superintendents and educators were concerned about the new budget. "Schools cannot function properly without adequate funding for safety and mental health," stated Rep. David Martin, R-Davison, referring to a significant cut of around $301 million from school safety and mental health programs. Based on the current bill, the program will receive just $26.5 million.

School name	% of Hawaiian students enrolment	Total enrollment
Cadillac Innovation High School	1.2%	164
Mesick Consolidated Junior/Senior High School	0.4%	276
Forest View Elementary School	0.4%	257
Manton Consolidated Middle School	0.3%	305
Manton Consolidated Elementary School	0.3%	345
Cadillac Senior High School	0.2%	903
Franklin Elementary School	0.2%	563
Lincoln Elementary School	0.2%	480
Highpoint Virtual Academy of Michigan	0.1%	3,455
Mackinaw Trail Middle School	0%	683
Floyd M. Jewett Elementary School	0%	256
Wexford-Missaukee ISD Special Education	0%	100
Buckley Community Schools	0%	488
Manton Consolidated High School	0%	289