The Guam Department of Education serves the entire island of Guam. In 2000, <answer>32,000</answer> students attended Guam's public schools. Guam Public Schools have struggled with problems such as high dropout rates and poor test scores. Guam's educational system has always faced unique challenges as a small community located 6,000 miles (9,700 km) from the U.S. mainland with a very diverse student body including many students who come from backgrounds without traditional American education. An economic downturn in Guam since the mid-1990s has compounded the problems in schools.
How many students as of 2000 were attending public schools in Guam?
32,000