Battle Creek Times

There were 17 American Indian students enrolled in Athens Area Schools in the 2022-23 school year, a 6.3% increase compared to the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Athens Area Schools welcomed 503 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, American Indian students made up 3.4% of the student body, making them the third most represented ethnicity in the district.

Athens Area Schools roughly covers two schools within Calhoun County and has its main office in East Leroy.

Among the two schools in Athens Area Schools, East Leroy Elementary School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of nine students.

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.

Year	Total District Enrollment	Total American Indian Students	American Indian %
2022-23	503	17	3.4%
2021-22	511	16	3.1%
2020-21	483	18	3.7%
2019-20	528	19	3.6%
2018-19	552	20	3.6%
2017-18	556	18	3.2%
2016-17	544	16	2.9%
2015-16	565	17	3%