North Michigan News

There were 2,700 students enrolled in Antrim County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 2.4% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Boys made up 52.3% of the county student body, while the other 47.7% were girls.

Data also showed that white students made up 92% of the student body, the highest percentage in Antrim County schools, followed by 3.4% Hispanic, 2% multiracial, 1.2% American Indian, 0.8% African American, 0.3% Asian and 0.3% Hawaiian students.

Elk Rapids High School had the highest enrollment among Antrim County's 13 schools in the 2024-25 school year, welcoming 360 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.

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	Total enrollment in 2023-24	Total enrollment in 2024-25	% change
Elk Rapids High School	359	360	0.3%
Lakeland Elementary School	311	289	-7.1%
Mancelona Elementary School	298	288	-3.4%
Cherryland Middle School	285	277	-2.8%
Mancelona High School	252	243	-3.6%
Mancelona Middle School	236	242	2.5%
Ellsworth Community School	230	228	-0.9%
Central Lake Public Schools	237	223	-5.9%
North Central Academy Campus	176	174	-1.1%
Bellaire Middle-High School	144	140	-2.8%
John R. Rodger Elementary School	111	119	7.2%
Alba School	101	96	-5%
Sunrise Academy	27	21	-22.2%