South Kent News

There were 23 American Indian students enrolled in Forest Hills Public Schools in the 2022-23 school year, a 64.3% increase compared to the previous year, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Data showed that Forest Hills Public Schools welcomed 9,208 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, American Indian students made up 0.2% of the student body, making them the second least represented ethnicity in the district.

Forest Hills Public Schools roughly covers 18 schools within Kent County and has its main office in Grand Rapids.

Among the 18 schools in Forest Hills Public Schools, Eastern High School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of five 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	9,208	23	0.2%
2021-22	9,345	14	0.1%
2020-21	9,370	13	0.1%
2019-20	9,728	14	0.1%
2018-19	9,774	14	0.1%
2017-18	9,850	11	0.1%
2016-17	9,916	10	0.1%
2015-16	9,988	16	0.2%