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Out of 62 students at Sven Lokrantz Special Education Center, 14.5% were in sixth grade during 2023-24 school year
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 12th Grade | 14 | 22.6% |
| 6th Grade | 9 | 14.5% |
| 11th Grade | 9 | 14.5% |
| 7th Grade | 6 | 9.7% |
| 10th Grade | 6 | 9.7% |
| 4th Grade | 4 | 6.5% |
| 5th Grade | 4 | 6.5% |
| 8th Grade | 4 | 6.5% |
| 1st Grade | 2 | 3.2% |
| kindergarten | 1 | 1.6% |
| 2nd Grade | 1 | 1.6% |
| 3rd Grade | 1 | 1.6% |
| 9th Grade | 1 | 1.6% |