Orland Joint Unified School District had the highest enrollment among Glenn County school districts, welcoming 2,242 students during the 2023-24 school year, according to the California Department of Education.
Of all the students welcomed in the 2023-24 school year, 52.4% of them were boys, 47.5% were girls, and 0.1% identified themselves as non-binary or did not specify their gender.
Data also showed that the majority of students were Hispanic or Latino, making up 67.2% of Orland Joint Unified School District’s total enrollment.
Among the seven districts in Glenn County, Willows Unified School District ranked second in enrollment numbers with 1,357 students, while Lake Elementary School District welcomed 1,030 students and ranked third in the 2023-24 school year.
Orland Joint Unified School District roughly covers schools within Glenn County and has a main office in Orland.
In the previous school year, Orland Joint Unified School District also had the highest number of students among Glenn County districts.
After peaking at 6.3 million in the early 2000s, public school enrollment in California has marked its seventh consecutive decline in the 2023-24 school year, with projections indicating it could fall to approximately 5.2 million by the 2033-34 school year. 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.
Although chronic absenteeism in California decreased in 2023, it remains double the pre-pandemic rate. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, chronic absenteeism in the state public schools reached 25% in 2023, up from 12% in 2019.
| District | City (main office) | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Orland Joint Unified School District | Orland | 2,242 |
| Willows Unified School District | Willows | 1,357 |
| Lake Elementary School District | Orland | 1,030 |
| Hamilton Unified School District | Hamilton City | 715 |
| Glenn County Office of Education | Willows | 479 |
| Plaza Elementary School District | Orland | 194 |
| Stony Creek Joint Unified School District | Elk Creek | 71 |

