California Department of Education | California Department of Education
California Department of Education | California Department of Education
The grade with the second highest number of students was seventh grade, with 707 students, or 11.5% of the student body.
The school that had the highest number of kindergarten students in Santee School District during the period was Carlton Oaks Elementary School, while Santee Alternative had the fewest.
Overall, Santee School District enrolled 6,148 students, ranking as the 242nd highest enrolled district in California for the 2023-24 school year. It also ranked 242nd 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 |
|---|---|
| Cajon Park Elementary School | 866 |
| Carlton Hills Elementary School | 576 |
| Carlton Oaks Elementary School | 877 |
| Chet F. Harritt Elementary School | 625 |
| Hill Creek Elementary School | 690 |
| Pepper Drive Elementary School | 655 |
| PRIDE Academy at Prospect Avenue | 563 |
| Rio Seco Elementary School | 920 |
| Santee Alternative | 14 |
| Santee Success Program | 2 |
| Sycamore Canyon Elementary School | 360 |
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