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Denver Schools Thrive Initiative

Addressing Declining Enrollment with Equity and Empathy

This is an infographic depicting the timeline associated with the Denver Schools Thrive Initiative. In Sep.-Oct. '24 Regional Educational Engagement Sessions take place. In Nov. '24 Recommendation Presented, Board and Superintendent Engagement, Public Comment and Board Vote takes place. In Dec. '24 - Aug. '25 Supporting Your School Community Through Change takes place.

Overview

What is Executive Limitation 18?

Executive Limitation 18, or EL 18, provides guardrails on how the Superintendent approaches the process to address declining enrollment.

Why is it Necessary to Address Declining Enrollment?

Due to limited resources at schools impacted by low enrollment, not every student has access to the same opportunities. Addressing this challenge ensures that every student thrives, every teacher and leader is supported and our resources are used to create better opportunities for all of Denver’s students.

What was the Purpose of Regional Educational Engagement?

DPS is committed to serving students and communities equitably and empathically in this process. During September and October, DPS hosted six regional meetings to discuss enrollment trends and engage in learning about declining enrollment with Denver communities.

What Happened After the Regional Educational Engagement Sessions ?

On Nov. 7, the Superintendent provided recommendations to the Board of Education. Following that, there was an opportunity for engagement with the Board and the Superintendent, which lead into Public Comment on Nov. 18. On Nov. 22, the Board of Education voted to unanimously approve on the recommendation.

View Superintendent's Recommendations

Board of Education's Vote on Recommendations

Elementary:

  • Castro Elementary will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year. Castro’s boundary will split into Knapp Elementary and Charles M. Schenck Community School.

  • Columbian Elementary will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year. A new Far Northwest Enrollment Zone will be created and will include Beach Court, Centennial, Edison and Trevista.

  • International Academy of Denver at Harrington will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year and will become part of the existing Greater Five Points/Central Enrollment Zone. This zone will include Columbine, Swansea, Garden Place, Cole Arts and Science Academy, University Prep - Arapahoe, Whittier and Wyatt Academy.

  • Palmer Elementary will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year. A new Central East Elementary Enrollment Zone will be created and will include Teller, Steck, Carson, Montclair, Lowry and Denver Green School Southeast.

  • Schmitt Elementary will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year. A new Southwest/Central Enrollment Zone will be created and will include Godsman, McKinley-Thatcher and Asbury.

Secondary:

  • Denver School of Innovation and Sustainable Design (DSISD) will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year. Students will be guaranteed a seat at their boundary or zone school.

  • West Middle School will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year. Students who live in the zone will be guaranteed a seat in the West Middle School Enrollment Zone.

As a reminder, the following grade level restructures did not require a decision from the Board of Education and will go into effect for the 2025-26 school year:

  • Denver Center for International Studies (DCIS) at Baker will only offer grades 6-8 and will become part of the West Middle School Enrollment Zone.

  • Dora Moore will only offer grades ECE-5. As a Choice school, Dora Moore will not join an enrollment zone.

  • Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy (KCAA) will only offer grades 6-12. As a Choice school, KCAA will not join an enrollment zone.

Benefits of Addressing Declining Enrollment

Improved Student Experience

  • Increased access to mental health resources.

  • Allowing for more time with specialized roles that serve numerous schools districtwide.

  • Increased funding for programs like art, P.E., technology and music.

Improved Staff Experience

  • More robust support from school and district leadership.

  • Greater opportunities for feedback, observation and coaching.

  • More funding directly in the classroom at all schools.

Improved Systems Experience

  • Maximized use of district resources.

  • Relieving pressure on operational services.

  • Additional program offerings.

  • More funding for improved learning environments.

Schools Impacted

Elementary

Secondary

Programming Information

Public Engagement Information

Superintendent Engagement Sessions

Prior to the Board’s decision, the Transition Team and Superintendent Marrero held an engagement meeting at each school to share information about why your school was part of the recommendation, how this impacts your community and what support you can expect from the district. The Transition Team is made up of staff members from Academics, the Office of Talent, Choice & Enrollment, Family & Community Engagement (FACE), the Employee Assistance Program, Transportation, Multilingual Education and Special Education.

Each meeting was held at the respective school and was limited to only that school’s families and staff. Childcare and interpretation services were provided.

Agenda for Each Meeting

  • Presentation: Each meeting began with a 20-minute opening presentation explaining why your school was included as part of the recommendation and included a high-level explanation of how this impacts families and staff.

  • Break-out groups: Each meeting opened into two break-out groups following the opening presentation to dig deeper into how families and staff are impacted. More information also was shared on what support you can expect from the district.

    • Family break-out groups: Families heard from team members from Choice & Enrollment, Transportation, FACE, and Academics, including Special Education and Multilingual Education. 

    • Staff break-out groups: Staff heard from team members from the Office of Talent, the Employee Assistance Program and FACE. (Staff members who are also family members of students were able to join either break-out group.)

  • Resource Tables: Following the breakout sessions, families and staff were able to visit any of the resource tables to ask questions and learn more about support the district offers.

If you were unable to attend the engagement meeting at your school, please read your toolkit for specific information about what this means for you as a family or staff member. The Family and Student toolkits are available on each school’s Denver School Thrives webpage and have been translated into the languages spoken at the school. To read the toolkit in your language, click the name of your language, which is linked at the top of the document.

Date

School

Time

November 18

IAD @ Harrington

2:45-4:45 p.m.

November 19

Schmitt Elementary

3-5 p.m.

Castro Elementary

4:30-6:30 p.m.

Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy

6-8 p.m.

November 20

Dora Moore

7:30-9:30 a.m.

Palmer Elementary

3:15-5:15 p.m.

Denver School of Innovation and Sustainable Design

5-7 p.m.

West Middle School

6:30-8:30 p.m.

November 21

Denver Center for International Studies

7:30-9:30 a.m.

Columbian Elementary

3-5 p.m.

Mental Health Supports for Students & Families 

During times of change, it's natural for students and families to experience a range of emotions.

DPS is committed to supporting the mental health and well-being of our entire school community, through:

  1. On-campus support from licensed and trained social workers and psychologists.

  2. Comprehensive intervention programs and response protocols.

  3. Access to community mental health partners and crisis support.

If you have concerns about your child's mental health:

  1. Listen to your child and acknowledge their feelings.

  2. Connect with your school's mental health provider.

  3. For immediate risk, call 911 or take your child to the nearest emergency room.

  4. Connect with support, such as:

  5. Care Solace: Care Solace connects students, staff and their families to care. At no cost to you, Care Solace will quickly and confidentially find available mental health and substance use providers matched to your needs. A multilingual team is available 24/7/365 to help you understand options, call providers on your behalf and schedule an appointment. Connect to care with any coverage including Medicaid, Medicare and sliding scale options for those without insurance. Use Care Match, the self-serve website, to find a provider on your own. Get connected to care today by calling 888-515-0595 or visiting caresolace.com/dps.

  6. I Matter Colorado: Connects youth to free counseling sessions. Youth and their parents can visit I Matter Colorado to take a confidential online survey about their mental health and schedule sessions with a licensed behavioral health clinician, primarily online over telehealth. All Colorado youth — ages 18 or younger and young adults 21 and younger if receiving special education services — are eligible to receive free services. State law allows youth ages 12 and up to use this platform independently; youth ages 11 and younger will need their parent or guardian’s consent to sign up. 

DPS is dedicated to serving the Whole Child by ensuring both physical and psychological safety in our schools. Your child's well-being is our top priority.

For more information on mental health services, resources and contact information, please visit the DPS Mental Health Services webpage.

Mental Health Supports for Staff

Our DPS staff’s well-being is also a top priority.

In response to unexpected change and uncertainty, staff may experience feelings of stress and overwhelm. DPS works tirelessly to support staff with access to mental health services that include: 

  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

    • ComPsych provides confidential, no-cost service available to all DPS employees and their dependents. EAP provides access to short-term counseling services (five sessions) for staff and/or dependents. Sessions are supported by a therapist, counselor, or medical physician to get them the help they may be seeking. Services may be accessed using the directions in this flier. 

    • Optum also provides EAP services. Click on the flier to sign up for a virtual consultation.

  • Care Solace: Care Solace connects students, staff and their families to care. At no cost to you, Care Solace will quickly and confidentially find available mental health and substance use providers matched to your needs. A multilingual team is available 24/7/365 to help you understand options, call providers on your behalf and schedule an appointment. Connect to care with any coverage including Medicaid, Medicare and sliding scale options for those without insurance. Use Care Match, the self-serve website, to find a provider on your own. Get connected to care today by calling 888-515-0595 or visiting caresolace.com/dps.

  • University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus: Provides free services to all members of Colorado’s education workforce. Services include a well-being/support line (call/text), online self-paced programs, mental health workshops, and school support services. 

Initiative Videos

This video explains the impact low enrollment can have on a school's access to resources.

This video is a recorded presentation about Denver’s population trends, facilitated by the Colorado State Demography Office.

This video is a recording of the Regional Engagement Session held virtually via Zoom.

Frequently Asked Questions

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