Strategic Community Engagement Plan for Resilient Schools _ 2026.01.27 (1).pdf (3,498 KB)

Board of Education | January 27, 2026

Defining the path forward: A Strategic Community Engagement Plan for Resilient Schools

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Purpose of Tonight’s Information Item ●

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Confirm shared understanding of the urgency created by declining enrollment

School Adjustment Options

Reaffirm Board goals for future decisions

Introduce or expand focus programs

Review a community engagement plan to inform the development of viable school adjustment options Establish a clear path toward Board action in fall 2026

Allow schools to stay “small”

Grade reconfiguration, e.g. K-2 & 3-5 or convert K-8s to elementary and middle Relocate focus programs Consolidate two or more schools into one building (existing or new) Close one or more schools and distribute students to multiple schools 2

Context ●

Declining birth rates (national, state, & local trend) & fewer kindergarteners

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Aging population

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Dwindling housing opportunities due to low inventory, people aging in place

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High cost of living

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More housing opportunities in surrounding districts

January 13, 2026

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Declining Enrollment Process Overview 2022-23

2023-24

2024-25

2025-26 (Aug.-Jan.)

LRAC

LRAC

LRAC

LRAC

Studied elementary level enrollment history and projections and recommended Board actions and metrics for elementary schools

● Received updates on enrollment and the work of the District ● Studied middle level enrollment status ● Attended Heatherwood Community Engagement meetings

● Middle level & PK-8 enrollment discussions ● Received updates re: Heatherwood process ● Received Annual Enrollment update ● Previewed Annual Trend Report ● Received attendance boundary review update ● Provided updates to Board

● Middle level & PK-8 enrollment discussion (Sept.) ● Update to the Board (Oct.) ● Reviewed Oct. 21 work session and provided input about community engagement process

BVSD

BVSD

BVSD

BVSD

● At the direction of the Board, created LRAC and supported the work of the group.

● Supported Heatherwood Community Engagement process ● Held first Place to be Showcase ● Conducted parent enrollment survey

● Attendance boundary review process ● Place to Be Showcase

● Received regular updates

Board

● Held Place to Be Showcase ● Supported development of Heatherwood focus program ● Established new commuter enrollment preference ● Created Enrollment Dashboard

● Received committee recommendations

● Updated policies ● Received enrollment updates,

Board

Board

including Annual Trend Report

Board ● Adopted new attendance boundaries ● Long range planning work session ● Heard enrollment update for 2025-26

● Dashboard work session

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LRAC and Heatherwood updates Annual Enrollment update Annual Trend Report Attendance boundary review

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What has Changed Since 2024-25 SY The data has moved faster than expected: ●

Enrollment declined by 525 students.

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This accelerates the timeline for addressing excess capacity.

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Delay increases risk to student experience, staffing stability and long-term financial sustainability. Enrollment declined by 525 students; 2nd greatest loss since pandemic. 5

BVSD Elementary Building Capacity ●

BVSD has the capacity to serve 14,543 K-5 students in our non-charter schools.

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We currently serve 9,732 (SY 25-26) K-5 non-charter students.

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The utilization rate is 67% with 4,811 open seats (SY 25-26).

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Projected to go to 9,433, or 65% in 5 years with 5,110 open seats.

BVSD Projected Utilization 2030-31

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Elementary School Programmatic Impacts Three Round (~450) (3 classes per grade level)

Grade 1

Two Round (~300)

One Round (~150)

Multi Grade

(2 classes per grade level)

(1 class per grade level)

(<1 class per grade level)

Grade 1

Grade 1

Grade 1

● ABC Specials rotation

● Traveling teachers

● Instrumental music

● Scheduling complexity

● Limited teacher

collaboration

● Ideal for programming

& limitations

● Lack of flexibility to

● Dedicated counselor,

● Programming

shift students

limitations

● More programming

Specials teachers & Special Education teachers

Grade 2

● Yearly change ● Complex

planning for teachers

limitations 7

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Defining the Problem & Defining Goals Future decisions should: ●

Maintain and improve learning outcomes for all students

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Distribute students so all schools have the right level of students/resources to maintain high-quality learning experiences to maintain and improve outcomes for all students

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Stabilize overall enrollment by retaining current students and attracting new students to the district

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Maximize all efficiencies to address ongoing fiscal challenges

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Overall Enrollment Projected to Decline Number of Students

26,607

26,218

25,876

25,529

25,220

24,937

Projected loss of 1,670 students (1,706 General Fund) * Preschool not included due to the difficulty to assess demand and due to it’s disconnect with school attendance areas.

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5-year Elementary Enrollment Projections ELEMENTARY ENROLLMENT TRENDS (based on 2024-25 enrollment data) ●

Boulder Continued enrollment declines, 10 of 14 (71%) schools projected to be at or below 2 classes per grade level with a regional building utilization of 58%

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Louisville-Superior Continued enrollment declines, 3 of 6 (50%) schools projected to be at or below 2 classes per grade level with a regional building utilization of 61%

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Lafayette-Erie Slow enrollment growth, no schools projected to be at or below 2 classes per grade level with a regional building utilization of 88%

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Broomfield Continued enrollment declines, 2 of 4 (50%) schools projected to be at or below 2 classes per grade level with a regional building utilization of 73% 11

The Path Forward: Our Community Engagement Commitment 12

What Engagement Will and Will Not Do Engagement will: Build understanding of the problem ● Gather input on values, priorities, and tradeoffs ● Inform development of school adjustment options and Board of Education decision making ●

Engagement will not: Guarantee preservation of specific schools ● Delay action ● Transfer decision-making authority away from the Board of Education ●

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Community Engagement Structure Board of Education Regional Community Engagement Structure Includes elementary principals, teachers, and parents; city staff; district committee members; relevant community partners, etc. District committees will be updated throughout the process.

Boulder Community

Louisville/Superior Community

Broomfield Community

Notes: 1. Projected enrollment in Lafayette and Erie is currently stable and will continue to be monitored. Potential impacts to these areas will be considered in the development of school adjustment options in other communities. 2. Due to their unique geographic circumstances, mountain schools require differentiated decisions and are not being considered for school adjustment options at this time.

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Community Engagement Overall Process 2026 Phase 1: Preparation (January-February 2026) ● Engage principals and teachers ● Orientation sessions with Board and Superintendent advisory committees ● Begin to engage with municipalities Phase 2: Build understanding of the problem and collect input (March - May 2026) ● Regional community group meetings and stakeholder specific sessions Phase 3: Develop school adjustment options (June - August 2026) ● Present summary of community engagement to Board (June) ● Staff to develop facility planning options (June-August)

Phase 1

JAN

Preparation

FEB MAR

Phase 2

Build understanding & collect input

APR MAY Phase 3

JUN

Present engagement outcomes to Board (June)

JUL

Develop school adjustment options (June-August)

AUG

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Community Engagement Overall Process (continued) Phase 4: Present school adjustment options to the Board (August 2026) ● Board’s opportunity to discuss options ● Opportunity for community input during public comment Phase 5: Present final plan for study to the Board (September 2026) ● This will include updated attendance boundaries, open enrollment preferences, analysis of facility improvements required (if any), etc. ● Opportunity for community input during public comment Phase 6: Present final plan for action to the Board (October 2026) ● Necessary for BVSD open enrollment timeline Nov. 1 - early January 2027

2026-2027 AUG 2026

Phase 4

SEP 2026

Phase 5

OCT 2026

Phase 6

NOV 2026

Phase 7

AUG 2027

New school configurations in place

Phase 7: Student / Staff Transition Planning & Support (Nov. 2026 - Aug. 2027) ● Enrollment specialists to provide direct support to impacted families throughout the enrollment process ● Support impacted staff and families with transition ● Plan for implementation ● Facility real estate process if needed

Present school adjustment options to the Board Present final plan for study to the Board (second mtg. in Sept.) Present final plan for action to the Board

Transition planning/support & Implementation

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Discussion

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