2023-24 School Year: 19% of students enrolled in 12th grade at Sacramento County Office of Education schools

In the 2023-24 school year, 12th grade was the largest grade in Sacramento County Office of Education, with 536 students making up 19% of the student body, according to the California Department of Education. This represents a growth of 9% compared to the previous year.

The grade with the second highest number of students was kindergarten, with 332 students, or 11.8% of the student body.

The school that had the highest number of 12th grade students in Sacramento County Office of Education during the period was Nathaniel S. Colley Senior High School, while Palmiter Special Education had the fewest.

Overall, Sacramento County Office of Education enrolled 2,816 students, ranking as the 406th highest enrolled district in California for the 2023-24 school year. It ranked 401st highest in the previous 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.