Supporting schools during a period of declining enrollment

Across the country, school districts are seeing a clear trend of declining enrollment. This isn’t new. For years, demographers have identified several factors driving declining enrollment. Birth rates are declining, and when combined with high housing costs and many other variables, school communities are being reshaped.

Colorado is experiencing this decline more sharply than many other states. Population growth is increasingly concentrated among older adults. Rising housing costs and limited availability also make it more difficult for young families to settle in or remain in communities. 

These trends mean many school districts are serving fewer students than they did just a decade ago, and projections suggest enrollment may continue to decline for the foreseeable future.

Adams 12 Five Star Schools isn’t immune to these trends. As enrollment declines, the district must evaluate the impact it has on our ability to provide students with robust and meaningful learning opportunities. To ensure thriving and fiscally responsible school environments for all, the district is evaluating school consolidations. 

How Declining Enrollment is Impacting our Schools

Over the last decade, enrollment at district-managed schools has declined faster than originally projected. Since enrollment peaked in 2014, enrollment has fallen by over 6,400 students. 

The trend accelerated this year. Between October 2024 and October 2025, district enrollment declined by 1,365 students – nearly three times greater than projected and the second-largest one-year decrease since 2020. 

Capacity and Underutilized School Buildings 

As enrollment decreases, more space in our schools goes unused. Today, our elementary schools have capacity for about 15,370 students but serve just over 10,500, leaving roughly 4,800 seats unfilled. Middle schools have capacity for nearly 8,700 students but currently serve just over 5,200, leaving roughly 40% of buildings underutilized. 

How Lower Enrollment Affects Student Opportunities 

Lower enrollment affects more than building capacity. Since school funding is largely tied to enrollment, fewer students mean fewer resources and staff to support learning opportunities.

• At the elementary level, fewer students mean fewer classes per grade level and limited full-time staff to support students. It also impacts specials teachers who have to split their time between two schools, and limits afterschool activities. 
• At the middle school level, lower enrollment leads to fewer academic course offerings and elective choices, as well as fewer club and athletic opportunities. It also means asking teachers to cover multiple subjects or grade levels and fewer full-time support staff.

Our Path Forward

As a district, we’ve reached a point where we must thoroughly evaluate our schools, programs and resources to ensure every student has access to a thriving school environment.

In order to fulfill that commitment, the district is evaluating potential school consolidation options for elementary and middle schools. 

What does a thriving school environment look like?

Every student, staff member and family deserves to be in a school environment where they can experience growth, success and a strong sense of community. 

These are the conditions the district considers for a thriving school environment:  

• Establishes enrollment levels to support adequate staffing, teacher collaboration, robust student programs and full-time specials
• Provides robust programming that fosters academic success and a high-quality student and family experience
• Promotes and maintains a strong sense of community
• Uses district resources efficiently to maximize student learning by maintaining enrollment levels that are financially sustainable

Many of our schools represent the heart of their neighborhoods, and any conversation about potential changes can feel deeply personal for families and staff. Throughout the process, the district is committed to sharing new data and updates with school leaders, staff, families and community partners. 

Final decisions will be made in fall 2026, with school consolidations taking effect for the 2027-2028 school year. This timeline allows time for school leaders, staff and families to come together to plan a thoughtful and successful transition.