Out of 53 students at Santa Clara Elementary School, 15.1% were in first grade during 2023-24 school year

Out of 53 students enrolled at Santa Clara Elementary School, 15.1% were in first grade during the 2023-24 school year, according to the California Department of Education. The grades with the highest concentration of students were first grade, second grade, fourth grade, and sixth grade.

California's public schools face a growing financial crisis driven by declining enrollment and an increase in chronic absenteeism, both impacting the state's school funding model.

Enrollment, which peaked at 6.3 million students in the early 2000s, has steadily declined to under 6 million today, with projections indicating it could fall below 5.2 million by 2032. This trend is attributed to lower birth rates, slowed immigration, and families relocating out of state due to high housing costs. Rural and coastal districts have been particularly affected, facing tough decisions such as school closures and staffing reductions.

At the same time, chronic absenteeism has surged from 12% pre-pandemic to 25%, disproportionately impacting younger students and jeopardizing their long-term success.

Grade	Number of Students	% of Total
1st Grade	8	15.1%
2nd Grade	8	15.1%
4th Grade	8	15.1%
6th Grade	8	15.1%
kindergarten	7	13.2%
3rd Grade	7	13.2%
5th Grade	7	13.2%