Declining Enrollment Community Engagement Board Update _ 06.09.2026 (2).pdf (14,815 KB)

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Board of Education | June 9, 2026

Declining Enrollment Community Engagement Update

Background ●

Declining number of births (national, state, & local trend), leading to shrinking population under age 10

●

Growing population over age 60

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

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High cost of living

●

More housing opportunities in surrounding districts

January 13, 2026

What Has Happened Over the Past 10 Years

Number of Students

● Decline of 3,675

students since 2017 ● Continued overall decline

of -1.9% ● Decline steeper than

projected (-0.9%) ● Decrease in new,

non-English speaking students Year

Overall Enrollment Projected to Decline Number of Students

26,607

26,218

25,876

25,529

25,220

24,937

HIGH SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL ELEMENTARY General Fund

Projected loss of 1,670 students (1,706 General Fund) * Preschool not included due to the

diﬃculty to assess demand and due to its disconnect with school attendance areas.

BVSD Elementary Building Capacity ●

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

●

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

5-year Elementary Enrollment Projections ELEMENTARY ENROLLMENT TRENDS ●

Boulder Continued enrollment declines 8 of 14 (57%) schools projected to be at or below 2 classes per grade level with a regional building utilization of 59%. Two additional schools are projected to be near the threshold for only two classes per grade level.

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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 64%

●

Lafayette-Erie Slow enrollment growth One school projected to be at or below 2 classes per grade level with a regional building utilization of 82%

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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 74%

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

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

●

ABC Specials rotation

●

Traveling teachers

●

Instrumental music

●

Ideal for programming

Scheduling complexity & limitations

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Dedicated counselor, Specials teachers, Teacher Librarians, & Special Education teachers

Programming limitations

Lack of ﬂexibility to shift students

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More programming limitations

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Limited teacher collaboration

Grade 2

●

Yearly change

●

Complex planning for teachers

BVSD Response To Date 2021-22 ●

Created Long Range Advisory Committee (April 2022)

2024-25 ● ● ●

2022-23 ●

LRAC metrics and recommendations (June 2023)

●

Approved Heatherwood focus program (Sept. 2024) New enrollment dashboard (Sept. 2024) New commuter Choice Enrollment preference (Oct. 2024) Place to Be Showcase (Oct. 2024)

2025-26 2023-24 ● ● ● ● ●

Parent enrollment survey (Sept. 2023) Place to Be Showcase (Oct. 2023) Annual Trend Report (Feb. 2024) Initiated Heatherwood Community Engagement (Mar. 2024) Updated enrollment-related policies

● ● ● ●

Adopted new attendance boundaries (Sept. 2025) Long range planning worksession (Oct. 2025) Place to Be Showcase (Oct. 2025) Launch community engagement (Jan. 2026)

8 8

Long Range Advisory Committee

Guiding Principles ●

Equity and access should be at the heart of every recommendation or decision in the enrollment context. Consideration should be given regarding impacts to historically underserved populations. In BVSD, equity includes but is not limited to: removing institutional barriers, embracing and respecting diversity, enhancing inclusion, intentional support for students, staff, family and community, culturally responsive teaching, learning, and leading.

●

Data should play a signiﬁcant role in the decision-making process.

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Decisions should aim to maximize eﬃcient use of resources for all students.

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It should be understood that change is hard, and communities will need to be supported through any transition.

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Municipalities should be included in conversations about closing or consolidating schools.

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The facility condition and the cost to modernize an existing school to meet educational speciﬁcations should be taken into consideration.

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District-wide responses and optimization of resources should also be explored when appropriate.

Long Range Advisory Committee

Important Considerations TRANSPORTATION Actions such as consolidating schools or placing a new program at a school will create different student transportation needs. Students may need to travel farther, which may make them eligible for school bus transportation or require a car trip rather than traveling by foot or bike. Additional vehicles on the road may create more emissions and congestion. Additionally, student commute time may increase. The ongoing bus driver shortage may be a limiting factor. FUTURE CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION/MAINTENANCE COSTS School buildings will continue to age and will require major, high cost major maintenance at regular intervals. These costs should be a consideration when evaluating continuing to operate a building. Additionally, the costs associated with renovating a building for additional enrollment or a change of program should also be considered. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY BVSD has made an organizational commitment to sustainability. Proposed actions should be evaluated in terms of impact to sustainability. Factors such as the cost and consumption of resources to operate and maintain underutilized buildings should be considered. Conversely, some proposed actions may adversely affect sustainability such as increasing vehicular miles traveled.

Deﬁning Goals Future decisions should: ●

●

Maintain and improve learning outcomes for all students Distribute students so all schools have the right level of students/resources to maintain high-quality learning experiences Stabilize overall enrollment by retaining current students and attracting new students to the district Maximize all eﬃciencies to address ongoing ﬁscal challenges

School Adjustment Options Allow schools to stay “small” Introduce or expand focus programs 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 11

Community Engagement 12

Community Engagement To Date

4 7

Elementary teacher and staff roundtables Meetings with elementary principals in regional groups Community Engagement Sessions New Vista High, Monarch High, Broomﬁeld High, Boulder High, BVSD Education Center, Spanish only (1)

Presentations to city councils

14 ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Presentations to advisory groups

Teachers Advisory Council Principals Advisory Council District Accountability Committee District Parent Council Community Bond Oversight Committee Community Leadership Academy Long Range Advisory Committee Latino Parent Council

Superior, Louisville, Boulder, Broomﬁeld 13

Resilient Schools: Responding to declining enrollment

Communications Coverage ● ● ● ● ● ●

Enrollment Impacts Newsletter (monthly) Video: What is declining enrollment and why does it matter? Website (ongoing) Social (ongoing) Direct emails (as needed) News media

Resilient Schools: Responding to declining enrollment

Tune in to the conversations

March 26

The impact on our schools April 2

EPISODE

The challenge of declining enrollment

EPISODE

Viewable online:

The options and next steps April 9 15

Resilient Schools: Responding to declining enrollment

Community Engagement Sessions

Resilient Schools: Responding to declining enrollment

Oportunidades de participación

Resilient Schools: Responding to declining enrollment

Opportunities for Engagement Options brought forward to the Board in August and subsequent decision-making will be contingent on our community thoughtfully engaging with us. JANUARY - FEBRUARY ●

Teacher Roundtable Feedback

MARCH ●

Let’s Talk Livestream Questionnaire

APRIL ●

Community Engagement Sessions

MAY ● ●

Parent, staff and community surveys Community Engagement Session in Spanish 18

Data

Data Sources

Teacher Roundtable Discussions

Community Engagement Sessions

Resilient Schools Survey

teachers & staff

parents, staff, community

328 responses

708 responses

5244 responses

Sustainable Shifts Feedback: 568 Follow-up Survey: 140

Data Sources Summary Total Sample

Response Count

Response Rate

Elementary & K8 Teacher Roundtables (30 sessions)

328

Community Engagement Feedback Packets (7 sessions)

643

568

88%

Community Engagement Follow-Up Survey

583

Source

140

24%

Resilient Schools Survey

Staff

6110

1700

28%

Parent/Guardian

32966

2936

608

Community Survey Total

Total Response Count:

6,280

5244 21

Top Priorities RESILIENT SCHOOLS COMMUNITY SURVEY Items selected as most important (Maxdiff) (N = 5244) ● ● ●

Small Class Sizes Equitable Funding Neighborhood Proximity

● ● ●

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS Experience Cards (N= 106)

Advanced Academics FT Art, Music, & PE FT Math & Literacy Specialists

Must-Haves (N = 5244)

ROUNDTABLES (N=30)

Small Class Sizes (90%) ● PT Staff Challenges (66%) ●

22 22

Top Priorities COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS Top Shift Rating: Consolidate Schools (N= 503) ●

ROUNDTABLES Top Shift Rating: Consolidate Schools (N= 252)

I believe this action is a move in the right direction to solve the challenges of under-enrolled schools.

23 23

Key Themes 1. Class Size & Instructional Complexity 2. Comprehensive Full-Time Staff a. Special Education b. Whole Child Support & Staﬃng Stability 3. Equitable Funding 4. Walkability & Neighborhood Schools 5. Varied School Models

Key Theme: Class Size & Instructional Complexity ● Top Priority: Small class sizes ● Redeﬁning Capacity: Class size accounting for increasing student complexity—not just the number of desks in the room.

Key Theme: Comprehensive Full-Time Staff ● Special Education ○ Sustainable Caseloads: Staﬃng must move from "stretched thin" to fully supported.

Key Theme: Comprehensive Full-Time Staff ● Whole Child Support & Staﬃng Stability ○ Instructional Stability: Teachers need a consistent, daily support team to meet increasing student needs. ○ Service Gaps: Relying on shared or part-time roles compromises the continuity of student experiences.

Key Theme: Equitable Funding ● Equity-Based Funding: Differentiated funding is needed to ensure resources follow student needs. ● "Cut from the Top": Central administration reductions must precede any cuts to school-level staff or buildings. ● Asset Preservation: Buildings are viewed as long-term assets; stakeholders warn against selling property.

Key Theme: Walkability & Neighborhood Schools ● Cultural Loss: Shifting from biking and walking to driving is seen as a loss to community identity. ● Civic Commitment: Walkable access is defended as a core value for pedestrian safety and environmental health.

Key Theme: Varied School Models ● Educational Diversity: Varied models are essential to meet unique learning styles and student interests. ● Competitive Advantage: Focus programs serve as a "pull factor" for family recruitment and retention.

Nuances by Region ● Broomﬁeld Boundaries: Stakeholders at Birch, Kohl, and Aspen Creek advocated to redraw attendance lines. ● The K-8 Divide: Louisville/Superior stakeholders are nearly evenly split between structural separation and model preservation.

Nuances by Role ● Families: ○ Logistics: Grade splits are viewed as structural deal breakers. ○ Advanced Opportunities: Gifted & Talented programs are a point of tension. ● Staff: ○ Collaboration: High value placed on collaborative teams and planning time.

Nuances for Spanish-Only Session ● Core Value: Prioritize cultural preservation and bilingual access above all else. ● Transportation: Increased travel is viewed as a barrier to access, not just a logistical hurdle. ● Student Disruption: School closures are feared as disruptive events that could diminish student attitudes about school.

Last Additional Thoughts ● Educator Well-being: Supportive working conditions. ● Transparency: A proposal that reﬂects engagement process input and clear data will be essential for community support. ● Competing Values: The community feedback includes competing values, and tradeoffs will be necessary.

Board Discussion

Next Steps

DEC

NOV

OCT

SEPT

AUG

JUL

JUN

MAY

APR

MAR

FEB

JAN

DEC

NOV

OCT

SEPT

AUG

JUL

JUN

MAY

APR

MAR

FEB

2027

Prep

Decision Making

Engagement

JAN

2026

Principals Principal Teachers Community Develop Options Board Mtgs & Deliberations Implementation

Engagement

Decision-Making

Implementation

Jan - Mar ‘26 - Preparation ● Engage principals and teachers ● Orientation sessions with Board and Superintendent advisory committees ● Begin to engage with municipalities

Jun - Aug ‘26 - Develop school adjustment options ● Present summary of community engagement to Board (June) ● Staff to develop facility planning options (June-August)

Nov ‘26 - Aug ‘27 -Student / Staff Transition Planning & Support ● 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

Mar - May ‘26 Build understanding of the problem & collect input ● Regional community group meetings and stakeholder speciﬁc sessions ● Surveys

Aug ‘26 - Present school adjustment options to the Board ● Board’s opportunity to discuss options ● Opportunity for community input during public comment Sep ‘26 - Present ﬁnal plan for study to the Board This will include updated attendance boundaries, open enrollment preferences, analysis of facility improvements required (if any), etc. ● Opportunity for community input during public comment Oct ‘26 - Present ﬁnal plan for action to the Board ● Necessary for BVSD open enrollment timeline Nov. 1 early January 2027

Data Appendix

Session Overview and Attendance Total Session Attendees

# of Participant Packets Received

Region (Self-Identified)

# of Participant Packets Received

4/13/2026 – New Vista

61 (77%)

Boulder

196

4/15/2026 – District Office

88 (91%)

Broomfield

4/16/2026 – Boulder HS

63 (90%)

Erie

4/18/2026 – District Office

35 (87%)

Lafayette

4/20/2026 – Broomfield HS

110

103 (94%)

Louisville

107

4/22/2026 – Monarch HS

187

168 (90%)

Louisville/Superior

4/23/2026 – Follow up

N/A

Nederland

5/20/2026 - Columbine

39 (65%)

Superior

643

568 (88%)

Other

(blank)

Session Date & Location

Totals

BVSD held seven 2.5-hour community engagement sessions across the district, and a series of targeted follow-on sessions in different communities, throughout April of 2026. Most participants that submitted packets (85%) were Parents/Guardians of current BVSD students.

Challenge Prioritization Summary Across all sessions, participants were asked to prioritize the challenges reflected across 12 experience cards reflecting the challenges faced in under-enrolled schools. 5 cards were consistent priorities (>50% of tables selected it)

Source: During Session Prioritization Survey

Top 5 Cards 74%

65%

64%

60%

57%

Source: During Session Prioritization Survey 41

Wildcards got used across tables, with some common themes • Maintaining Community Feel & Walkability of Neighborhood Schools (7) • Protecting/Improving Special-Education Services (4) • Advocating for state-level funding increases (3) • Lowering class size caps (2) • Preserving current focus programs (2)

Other wildcards included: Improving access/reliability of long-term substitutes, ensuring teacher job security through transitions, having dedicated literacy specialists, intentional design of multi-age classrooms, student and staff diversity, and access to specials/advanced learning for all students

Source: Wildcards

Consolidating schools was the shift with the most support – due to the sustainability of this option “I believe this action is a move in the right direction to solve the challenges of under-enrolled schools”

The primary values participants expressed that drove this rating were the sustainability of this option (most participants viewed this as a “long term solution” compared to, for example, expanding focus programs) and the opportunity to build a new, unified school community

Source: Participant Packets

Post-Session Community Survey Respondent Region

Respondent Identity Parent Teacher

Boulder Louisville

Community Member Other

Broomfield Superior Lafayette Erie Out of District Other

Note: Based on survey responses, n 140, representing approximately 20% of total community engagement session attendees

Post-Session Community Survey

Better Understanding of Student & Teacher Experience

Better Understanding of Possible Actions

Note: Based on survey responses, n 140, representing approximately 20% of total community engagement session attendees

I Had an Opportunity to Share My Values 45

BVSD Resilient Schools Survey: Overall Response Rates

Resilient Schools Survey: Representation by Group

Resilient Schools Survey: Family Response Rate by Region

Resilient Schools Survey: Must-Have Items

Resilient Schools Survey: Must-Have Items by Group

Resilient Schools Survey: Must-Have Items by Region

Resilient Schools Survey: Hierarchy of Priorities ●

●

The Top Mandate: Keeping class sizes small is the highest priority, outranking every other by nearly two to one. The Middle Tier: Equitable funding and protecting well-rounded experiences—like art, music, and PE—form the second tier. The Baseline Expectation: Operational needs like teacher planning time and library staff rank lowest. The community views these as basic requirements the district should include generally, rather than items that should compete for extra resources.

Resilient Schools Survey: Stakeholder Priority Gap ●

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Alignment: Families and staff agree on the absolute highest priority (small class sizes). The Middle-Tier Split: A sharp divide emerges in the middle, where priorities become highly polarizing between the two groups. Family-Speciﬁc: Families place more importance on advanced academics and having schools close to home. Staff-Speciﬁc: Staff heavily prioritize daily working and support conditions, like planning time, equitable funding, and manageable special education caseloads.

Resilient Schools Survey: Comparing Priorities ●

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Alignment: Relatively close alignment for most items between respondents who did and did not attend the community engagement sessions. Divergence: Engagement session attendees felt most differently from those who did not attend about neighborhood proximity of schools.

Resilient Schools Survey: Popularity vs. Importance ●

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High-Consensus: Keeping class sizes small and protecting art, music, and PE sit at the very top of relative importance and popularity. Lower-Priority: Options like school models, teacher planning time, and librarians are not seen as candidates for cuts; rather, the community views these as essential to keep running, but not where they want to direct new or limited resources.