Staff report
For the first time in more than 30 years, Colorado public schools posted a decrease in year-to-year enrollment, according to a Dec. 15 news release by the Colorado Department of Education.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continued to take a toll on the state, schools saw a 3.3% decline — a loss of 29,942 students — in enrollment this fall compared to 2019, according to the preliminary data. Final numbers are expected by the middle of January, according to the department of education.
The following are the school districts that saw the largest declines in enrollment.
Douglas County: -4,326 students (-6.4%)
Jefferson County: -3,960 students (-4.7%)
Denver Public Schools: -3,051 students (-3.3%)
Aurora Public Schools: -2,181 students (-5.5%)
Colorado Springs D-11: -2,155 (-8.2%)
Adams 12 5 Star: -2,053 (-5.2%)
Cherry Creek: -2,005 (-3.6%)
For more coverage, read this article by The Colorado Sun.