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Untitled Jack Dawson
Denver public schools begins looming conversation about another round of school closures
Denver Public Schools (DPS) kicked off the first of six public meetings on Tuesday to address declining enrollment and the potential for school closures and consolidations across the district.
According to 9News, Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero explained that falling birth rates and rising housing costs have led to a significant drop in the student population, with the district expecting to serve 6,000 fewer students—about a 9% decline—by the 2028-29 school year.
During the meeting, DPS did not specify which schools might be affected but outlined key factors that will be considered, such as the number of students on free and reduced lunch, increased travel distances for families, and whether closures could further segregate students by race, language, or socioeconomic status.
DPS has closed 13 of about 200 schools since 2020 due to shrinking enrollment, driven by falling birth rates and rising housing costs, which continue to push families out of the city.
The district which serves about 88,000 students, has lost 5000 students since 2019. According to school officials, they anticipate that number will more than double in the next 4 years to around 11,000 fewer students by 2028.
Denver Public Schools reforms improved graduation rates but left students of color behind, study finds
Meanwhile, a new study from CU Denver reveals that DPS’s reform policies, including closing low-performing schools and expanding school choice, improved overall graduation rates and academic performance but failed to benefit all students equally.
The reforms, implemented over a decade ago, gave many students a boost in academic outcomes, but students of color—particularly Native American students and English learners—saw mixed or negative results.
While the district’s graduation rates improved, Native American students consistently performed worse in math, and English learners saw no significant gains in literacy for much of the study period.
The report underscores the uneven impact of DPS’s efforts to reshape the district, even as it expanded enrollment and improved outcomes for many students.
Four Colorado Schools Receive National Blue Ribbon Award for Academic Excellence for closing achievement gaps
Four Colorado schools outside of DPS, however, have received the National Blue Ribbon Award for their success in academic excellence and closing achievement gaps.
This week the US Department of Education awarded DSST Cedar High School in Denver, Zach Elementary in Fort Collins, Skyview Middle School in Pueblo, and Mesa View Elementary in Grand Junction for improvements in supporting Black, Latino, and economically disadvantaged students.
At DSST Cedar High School SAT math scores for Latino students increased by 11% in the last three years, while scores for Black students rose by 9%, according to school officials.
Additionally, the school provided essential support for students with disabilities and English language learners through personalized instruction, helping narrow achievement gaps.
Zach Elementary, serving a diverse community in Fort Collins, saw literacy scores for economically disadvantaged students improve by 8% over the past two years.
In Pueblo’s Skyview Middle School, math proficiency for Hispanic students increased by 10% from the previous year, and Mesa View Elementary in Grand Junction boosted reading comprehension.
In addition to the nation-wide count of people living without shelter in January, the city of Boulder held a count in June.
Boulder workers found that 122 people were experiencing homelessness on the night of the count. That’s according to a press release from the City.
Over half reported living with a disability. 79 of the 122 individuals reported experiencing houselessness for the first time.
Workers conducted a count in January that encompassed the entire County of Boulder. The City chose to do this second count after noticing an upward trend of people living on the streets of Boulder during the summer. Back in January, during that first count, the County reported 727 people experiencing homelessness. That’s according to Boulder Reporting Lab.
The post Denver Public Schools could face another round of closures appeared first on KGNU Community Radio.