South SF Bay News

In the 2023-24 school year, sixth grade was the largest grade in Cienega Union Elementary School District, with five students making up 26.3% of the student body, according to the California Department of Education. This represents a growth of 21.5% compared to the previous year.

The grades with the second highest number of students were fourth grade and fifth grade, with four students each.

The school that had the highest number of sixth grade students in Cienega Union Elementary School District during the period was Cienega Elementary School.

Overall, Cienega Union Elementary School District enrolled 19 students, ranking as the 27th lowest enrolled district in California for the 2023-24 school year. It ranked 30th lowest 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.

School	Total Enrollment
Cienega Elementary School	19