Central OC Times

In the 2023-24 school year, 12th grade was the largest grade in Newport-Mesa Unified School District, with 1,681 students making up 9.5% of the student body, according to the California Department of Education. This represents a growth of 0.2% compared to the previous year.

The grade with the second highest number of students was 11th grade, with 1,596 students, or 9% of the student body.

The school that had the highest number of 12th grade students in Newport-Mesa Unified School District during the period was Newport Harbor High School, while Monte Vista High/Cloud Campus had the fewest.

Overall, Newport-Mesa Unified School District enrolled 17,684 students, ranking as the 77th highest enrolled district in California for the 2023-24 school year. It also ranked 77th 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
Abraham Lincoln Elementary School	294
Adams Elementary School	326
Back Bay High School	150
California Elementary School	366
Charles W. Tewinkle Middle School	514
College Park Elementary	471
Corona del Mar High School	2,042
Costa Mesa High School	1,761
Early College High	200
Eastbluff Elementary School	380
Estancia High School	1,030
Everett A. Rea Elementary School	346
Harbor View Elementary School	338
Heinz Kaiser Elementary School	520
Horace Ensign Intermediate School	924
Killybrooke Elementary School	445
Mariners Elementary School	555
Maude B. Davis Elementary School	560
Monte Vista High/Cloud Campus	62
Newport Coast Elementary School	469
Newport Elementary School	331
Newport Harbor High School	2,217
Newport Heights Elementary School	478
Paularino Elementary School	356
Pomona Elementary School	290
Roy O. Andersen Elementary School	324
Sonora Elementary School	376
Victoria Elementary School	293
Whittier Elementary School	457
Wilson Elementary School	354
Woodland Elementary School	455