Monroe Review

There were 837 African American students enrolled in Monroe County schools in the 2024-25 school year, 3.1% less than the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Monroe County welcomed 20,297 students during the 2024-25 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 4.1% of the student body to be the fourth most represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 49 schools in Monroe County, Monroe High School recorded the largest enrollment of African American students in the 2024-25 school year, with a total of 175 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 African American students enrolment	Total enrollment
Arborwood Elementary School	23.6%	462
Orchard Center High School	21.2%	260
Monroe Middle School	14.4%	674
Monroe High School	13.1%	1,332
Monroe County Youth Center	12.5%	16
Manor Elementary School	12.4%	444
Custer Elementary School	8.7%	769
Riverside Academy	6.5%	46
Raisinville School	6.5%	443
New Bedford Academy	6.3%	63
Airport Center for Education	6.1%	49
Triumph Academy	4%	777
Milan High School	3.6%	526
Wagar 7-8 Middle School	3.3%	641
Monroe County Education Center	3.1%	129
Loren Eyler Elementary School	3.1%	292
Monroe County Transition Center	3%	67
Sodt Elementary School	3%	236
Henry Niedermeier Elementary School	2.9%	242
Mason Central School	2.6%	421
Mason Senior High School	2.2%	316
Clayton H. Symons Elementary School	2.2%	356
Monroe County Middle College	1.9%	320
Wagar 5-6 Middle School	1.8%	221
Monroe Road Elementary School	1.8%	595
Airport Senior High School	1.6%	760
Jefferson Middle School	1.6%	304
Fred W. Ritter Elementary School	1.5%	265
Joseph C. Sterling Elementary School	1.4%	370
Douglas Road Elementary School	1.3%	553
Dundee Middle School	1.3%	533
Jefferson High School	1.2%	430
Dundee Community High School	1%	493
Jackman Road Elementary School	1%	580
Dundee Elementary School	1%	685
Summerfield Elementary School	1%	312
Mason Middle School	0.9%	223
Whiteford High School	0.8%	262
North Elementary School	0.8%	366
Bedford Junior High School	0.7%	923
Ida Middle School	0.6%	467
Bedford Senior High School	0.5%	1,260
Summerfield Junior-Senior High School	0.4%	251
Ida Elementary School	0.2%	514
Ida High School	0.2%	451
Whiteford Middle School	0%	188
Whiteford Elementary School	0%	380
Mason Virtual Academy	0%	20
Young Adult Program	0%	10