Alpine County Education: Which school had most students enrolled in 2023-24 school year?

Diamond Valley Elementary School had the highest enrollment among Alpine County schools, welcoming 60 students during the 2023-24 school year, according to the California Department of Education.

Data also showed that the majority of students were American Indian or Alaska Native, making up 53.3% of the total enrollment in Diamond Valley Elementary School.

Among the three schools in Alpine County, Bear Valley Elementary School ranked second in enrollment numbers with six students, while Alpine County Opportunity welcomed two students and ranked third in the 2023-24 school year.

Diamond Valley Elementary School is part of Alpine County Unified School District, which roughly covers schools within Alpine County and has a main office in Markleeville.

In the previous school year, Diamond Valley Elementary School also had the largest number of students among Alpine County schools.

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.

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.