Dive Brief:
- The Adams 12 Five Star Schools Board of Education approved a plan to close six of the Denver-area district’s schools during an Oct. 7 meeting. Set to take effect in the 2027-28 school year, the decision comes as enrollment continues to drop sharply in the community and Colorado public schools more broadly.
- The decision to shutter five elementary schools and one middle school follows the district’s revelation that enrollment decreased faster than initially anticipated over the last decade. The district lost 6,400 students during that time, including 1,365 between October 2024 and October 2025 — triple the amount originally projected.
- As part of the closure plan, Adams 12 Five Star Schools will relocate and expand a K-8 gifted magnet school and establish a new K-8 magnet school focused on the arts. The district will also adjust two middle school attendance boundaries to balance enrollment.
Dive Insight:
Many school districts nationwide are grappling with enrollment declines, which can trigger major programming and staffing cuts and more school closures as budgets are tied to per-pupil funding.
In Colorado, it appears enrollment declines are happening at an even faster rate than many other states, Adams 12 Five Star Schools said in a March enrollment trends report.
In the 2025-26 school year, Colorado’s public school enrollment hit 870,793 — its lowest point in a decade, according to the Colorado Department of Education. That’s a 4.6% drop from the 913,223 students enrolled in Colorado public schools during the 2019-20 school year.
Adams 12 Five Star Schools said Colorado’s population growth is more concentrated among older adults as birth rates fall and housing costs rise, which also makes it challenging for young families to move into or stay in local areas. These trends have ultimately led to enrollment declines in Adams 12 and other Colorado districts.
The district reported in March that 40% of its elementary and middle school buildings were underutilized due to declining enrollment. After the first year of implementing its school closure plan, Adams 12 Five Star Schools said it expects to save $5 million on an annual basis.
In September, Colorado’s Poudre School District proposed closing nine schools and consolidating another two schools beginning in the 2027-28 school year. The district’s board is set to vote on the plan on Oct. 27. Poudre School District cited ongoing enrollment declines and the area’s high cost of living as to why the closures are necessary.
Olathe Public Schools in Kansas also approved the closure of six schools earlier this month, pointing to rising housing costs and declining birth rates as contributing to its enrollment declines and budget challenges.
As more school districts nationwide continue to face enrollment challenges, the need to close schools is unlikely to dissipate this school year as a growing number of districts mull similar decisions.
