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A brand new report by Denver Public Colleges predicts that enrollment will decline by 8%, or 6,005 college students, by 2029. Because of this, extra faculty closures might be wanted by 2030, the report says.
The district is almost definitely to advocate faculty closures within the northwest, southwest, and central components of town, as a result of these areas will expertise the steepest enrollment declines, says the annual report, often known as the Strategic Regional Evaluation. DPS launched it Thursday.
Southwest Denver is predicted to lose almost 2,720 college students by 2029, in accordance with the report, whereas northwest Denver is predicted to lose almost 1,200 college students and central Denver is predicted to lose almost 900 college students.
The predictions come simply days after DPS closed seven faculties with low enrollment on the finish of this previous faculty yr and partially closed three extra by eradicating some grade ranges. The method that led to these faculty closures, like most, was marked by fierce group pushback.
Enrollment in DPS peaked in 2019 earlier than steadily dropping for a number of years. Pupil counts ticked up barely within the final two faculty years, pushed by an inflow of migrant households. However reducing delivery charges and continued gentrification that pushes households out of town are anticipated to result in enrollment losses within the coming years, the report says.
The report highlights different tendencies.
- The far northeast is the one a part of town the place enrollment is predicted to develop. The report predicts a rise of 400 college students by 2029. That a part of the district will want a brand new elementary faculty and extra center faculty seats, it says.
- Pupil demographics in Denver are altering. Whereas college students of coloration and people from low-income households nonetheless make up the vast majority of the Denver pupil physique, the share of Latino and Black college students has decreased over the previous decade, whereas the share of white college students has elevated. The share of DPS college students who qualify for sponsored faculty meals, an indicator of poverty, has gone down.
- This yr, Denver misplaced extra college students to close by faculty districts than it gained. About 7,500 Denver college students selected to attend faculties in different districts, whereas about 7,250 college students from different districts selected to attend faculties in Denver.
- Preschool enrollment returned to pre-pandemic ranges this yr, with 5,135 college students.
Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.
