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Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Manistee County: 7% more students were enrolled in 2024-25 school year

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Dr. Michael F. Rice Michigan superintendent of public instruction | https://radio.wcmu.org/

Dr. Michael F. Rice Michigan superintendent of public instruction | https://radio.wcmu.org/

There were 6,522 students enrolled in Manistee County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 7% more than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Girls made up 50.4% of the county student body, while the other 49.6% were boys.

Data also showed that white students made up 66.2% of the student body, the highest percentage in Manistee County schools, followed by 16% African American, 8.6% Hispanic, 7% multiracial, 1.3% American Indian, 1% Asian and less than 0.1% Hawaiian students.

Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy had the highest enrollment among Manistee County's 14 schools in the 2024-25 school year, welcoming 3,936 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.

Enrollment in Manistee County Over 10 Years

01,2002,4003,6004,8006,0002024-252023-242022-232021-222020-212019-202018-192017-182016-172015-166,5226,5226,0966,0966,0046,0045,9515,9516,1666,1665,9035,9035,7505,7505,7035,7035,6725,6725,2665,266

Enrollment in Manistee County Schools

School nameTotal enrollment in 2023-24Total enrollment in 2024-25% change
Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy3,5193,93611.8%
Manistee Middle High School6696852.4%
Onekama Consolidated Schools2812944.6%
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School2812923.9%
KND Elementary School2812892.8%
John F. Kennedy Elementary School272270-0.7%
Bear Lake Elementary School166147-11.4%
Brethren High School169140-17.2%
Bear Lake High School11813312.7%
Betsie Valley School140131-6.4%
Brethren Middle School81854.9%
Casman Alternative Academy64651.6%
Manistee ISD Center Programs55550%

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