Tony Thurmond, Superintendent of Public Instruction, California Department of Education | California Department of Education
Tony Thurmond, Superintendent of Public Instruction, California Department of Education | California Department of Education
The grade with the second highest number of students was 11th grade, with 1,193 students, or 8.3% of the student body.
The school that had the highest number of kindergarten students in Chico Unified School District during the period was Emma Wilson Elementary School, while Oak Bridge Academy had the fewest.
Overall, Chico Unified School District enrolled 14,402 students, ranking as the 102nd highest enrolled district in California for the 2023-24 school year. It ranked 106th 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.
| School | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|
| Academy for Change | 20 |
| Bidwell Junior High School | 1,010 |
| Center for Alternative Learning | 17 |
| Chapman Elementary School | 320 |
| Chico High School | 1,873 |
| Chico Junior High School | 931 |
| Citrus Avenue Elementary School | 383 |
| Emma Wilson Elementary School | 613 |
| Fair View High (Continuation) | 114 |
| Hooker Oak Elementary School | 299 |
| Little Chico Creek Elementary School | 455 |
| Marigold Elementary School | 538 |
| Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High School | 764 |
| McManus (John A.) Elementary School | 408 |
| Neal Dow Elementary School | 339 |
| Oak Bridge Academy | 141 |
| Oakdale | 85 |
| Parkview Elementary School | 423 |
| Pleasant Valley High School | 1,922 |
| Rosedale Elementary School | 555 |
| Shasta Elementary School | 633 |
| Sierra View Elementary School | 469 |
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