Denver Public Schools to Announce School Closure Recommendations Amid Statewide Enrollment Decline

Denver Public Schools is set to announce recommendations for school closures on Thursday, a move that reflects a broader trend of declining enrollment in several Colorado school districts. This decision is not unique to Denver, as other districts such as Jeffco Public Schools and Aurora Public Schools have already navigated similar challenges.

In November 2022, Jeffco Public Schools voted to close 16 elementary schools at the end of the 2022-2023 school year, followed by the closure of two more K-8 schools at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. The closures were driven by a significant decline in the school-age population in Jefferson County, with a drop of 29,918 students aged 5-19 between 2000 and 2020. The State Demography office reported that Jefferson County’s birth rate peaked in 2000 and has been declining since then.

Jeffco Public Schools have repurposed some of the closed schools. For example, Campbell Elementary in Arvada was converted into a preschool, while Witt Elementary in Westminster was leased to the Austin Centers for Exceptional Students. The former Coal Creek Canyon K-8 in Golden reopened this year as a new charter school, Jefferson Academy Coal Creek Canyon. Other former school buildings are currently for sale.

Aurora Public Schools have also faced demographic shifts, leading to the closure or repurposing of several schools. The building that was formerly Sable Elementary was turned into a childhood development center this year, and Paris Elementary reopened as a community hub with a focus on mental health.

The issue of declining enrollment is not limited to these districts. The Douglas County School District plans to announce school closures and consolidations in Highlands Ranch next spring due to declining enrollment. The Poudre School District had planned to announce school closures in May 2024 but put the plans on hold after community protests. The district is still determining how to address the declining enrollment and budget shortfall.