High School District Enrollment Illustrated

A recent enrollment study of Sequoia Union High School District shows Latino students are the most common ethnic group in the district, comprising 45 percent of the district's students.

Latino enrollment in the district has more than doubled over the past decade, up from less than 20 percent of the district's students in 1987-1988, according to a demographics study released by Director of Enrollment Susan Berghouse.

"This is one of the most comprehensive reports I have ever seen," said District Superintendent James Lianides. "It gives a great picture of what is going on."

Enrollment of white students has been on a continuous decline over the past decade, and they are now the second most common racial group in the district, accounting for 37 percent of its students. This is down from comprising nearly 60 percent of the district's enrollment in 1988-1989.

African American students' enrollment has been declining over the last decade as well. This year, 4 percent of the district's students are African American, down from 13 percent in 1987-1988.

Asian students account for 6 percent of the district's enrollment, and Pacific Islanders are responsible for 4 percent.

The district's ethnic breakdown is similarly reflected at Menlo-Atherton High School. White students make up 40 percent of enrollment at the school, and Latino athletes account for 39 percent.

Menlo-Atherton High School's enrollment of 2,114 students in 2010-201 is up 4.2 percent from last year, on average. The school is also the most popular destination for eighth graders graduating from the elementary school that feed into the high school district.

Based on an average enrollment of 1,943 students per school, Carlmont High School has been the district's most rapidly expanding school. Its enrollment of 2,116 students is up 9.4 percent from last year. The rise of Carlmont and Menlo-Atherton High School is foiled with the 2.5 percent decrease in enrollment at Sequoia High School and 11.2 percent at Woodside High School.

Menlo-Atherton is also the second most popular transfer destination for students within the district, behind Sequoia High School. Last year, 141 students requested to move into Menlo-Atherton, 90 of which were approved.

The district enrollment has increased to the highest it has been in the last decade, up to 8,278. That is up from 8,117 last year, and 8,228 in 2008-2009.

"We have seen huge growth in the district, and I don't see that changing," said Board Trustee Don Gibson.

He cited the enrollment bulge in the district's feeder elementary school, and charter schools, as reasons he believes enrollment will continue to grow. 

Administration and the Board of Trustees have discussed capping enrollment at the district's larger schools in an effort to cope with the rise in enrollment.

Local charter schools fed 1,048 students into the high school district last year, the most coming from the Stanford East Palo Alto Academy, which provided 259 students for the district.