Wine Country Times

In the 2023-24 school year, kindergarten was the largest grade in Rincon Valley Union Elementary School District, with 622 students making up 20% of the student body, according to the California Department of Education. This represents a growth of 3.2% compared to the previous year.

The grade with the second highest number of students was fourth grade, with 393 students, or 12.7% of the student body.

The school that had the highest number of kindergarten students in Rincon Valley Union Elementary School District during the period was Madrone Elementary School, while Spring Lake Charter had the fewest.

Overall, Rincon Valley Union Elementary School District enrolled 3,106 students, ranking as the 384th highest enrolled district in California for the 2023-24 school year. It ranked 382nd 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
Austin Creek Elementary School	357
Binkley Elementary Charter	375
Madrone Elementary School	393
Manzanita Elementary Charter	383
Rincon Valley Partnership	108
Sequoia Elementary School	422
Spring Lake Charter	337
Village Elementary Charter	395
Whited Elementary Charter	336