Denver School Superintendent Alex Marrero has recommended closing or restructuring 10 schools so that the district can address enrollment declines.
The Denver Post reports that the proposal calls for permanently closing five elementary schools — Castro, Columbian, Palmer, Schmitt and International Academy of Denver at Harrington — and two secondary schools: West Middle and Denver School of Innovation and Sustainable Design.
An additional three schools — DCIS Baker 6-12, Dora Moore ECE-8 School and Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy — would be restructured so they serve fewer grades.
If approved by the school board, the closures and restructuring will affect 1,844 students and 267 employees. The board is scheduled to vote on the closure plan Nov. 21.
To make their recommendation, Denver school officials looked at criteria that included whether schools had a building that was using 65% or less of its capacity and are in a region with falling enrollment. The district has more than 200 schools.
All but one of the schools on Marrero’s list are in northwest, southwest and central Denver. Those regions have felt the brunt of falling enrollment.
Fewer students are enrolling in Denver’s public schools as fewer babies are being born. Denver has faced the additional challenges of gentrification and high housing costs, which pushed families from city neighborhoods.
Enrollment peaked at 92,112 students in 2019. In 2023-24, the district enrolled 88,235 students.
The superintendent warned the school board last month that closures are necessary to prevent “a full-blown crisis.”
Last year, the Denver school board voted to close three schools — Denver Discovery, Fairview Elementary, and Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy. Overall, the district has closed 15 schools since the 2018-19 academic year.
Declining enrollment has been most prominent in elementary schools, where enrollment has fallen since 2014. But it also has begun affecting middle schools.
If the school board approves Marrero’s plan, the district would save nearly $30 million annually.
