Muskegon Sun

There were 89 American Indian students enrolled in Muskegon County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 2.2% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Muskegon County welcomed 24,905 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, American Indian students comprised 0.4% of the student body to be the second least represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 66 schools in Muskegon County, Cardinal Elementary School recorded the largest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of nine 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 American Indian students enrolment	Total enrollment
Lighthouse Academy-Muskegon Community Building	5.3%	19
Fruitport Alternative High School	4.8%	21
Orchard View Community Education	3%	134
Three Oaks Public School Academy	1.7%	363
Cardinal Elementary School	1.5%	611
Wesley School	1.2%	170
Ross Park Elementary School	1.1%	450
Whitehall Ealy Elementary School	0.9%	431
White Lake Area Community Education	0.8%	130
Fruitport High School	0.7%	812
Montague High School	0.7%	419
Orchard View Middle School	0.7%	422
Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change	0.6%	154
Orchard View Early Elementary School	0.6%	331
Reeths-Puffer Middle School	0.6%	537
Muskegon Covenant Academy	0.5%	189
Beechnau Elementary School	0.5%	393
Reeths-Puffer Elementary School	0.5%	600
Muskegon Middle School	0.5%	774
Oakridge High School	0.4%	539
Campbell Elementary School	0.4%	454
Marquette Elementary School	0.3%	367
Ravenna High School	0.3%	317
Fruitport Middle School	0.3%	615
Whitehall Senior High School	0.3%	597
Timberland Academy	0.3%	613
Muskegon High School	0.3%	1,003
Mona Shores High School	0.3%	1,268
Whitehall Middle School	0.2%	424
Oakridge Upper Elementary School	0.2%	437
Churchill Elementary School	0.2%	414
Oehrli Elementary School	0.2%	436
Central Elementary School	0.2%	428
Orchard View High School	0.2%	543
Oakridge Lower Elementary School	0.2%	549
Mona Shores Middle School	0.2%	930
Reeths-Puffer High School	0.1%	1,107
Muskegon Heights Academy	0%	253
Holton Virtual Academy	0%	40
Pennsylvania Elementary School	0%	39
Muskegon Maritime Academy	0%	141
Lighthouse Academy - the Port	0%	14
Montague Area Childhood Center	0%	85
Lakeshore Learning Center	0%	21
Edgewood Elementary Academy	0%	134
Fruitport Adult Education	0%	29
Dr. Martin Luther King Academy	0%	105
Oakridge Middle School	0%	271
Holton Middle School	0%	173
Lincoln Park Elementary School	0%	411
Beach Elementary School	0%	295
Reeths-Puffer Intermediate School	0%	479
North Muskegon High School	0%	305
Ravenna Middle School	0%	291
Holton High School	0%	224
Nellie B. Chisholm Middle School	0%	307
Muskegon Community Education Center	0%	107
Twin Lake School	0%	205
Shettler School	0%	293
North Muskegon Middle School	0%	206
Holton Elementary School	0%	338
Edgewood Elementary School	0%	585
North Muskegon Elementary School	0%	406
Shoreline Elementary School	0%	432
Oakview Elementary School	0%	438
Bunker Elementary School	0%	451