Jefferson County may close and consolidate schools, citing low enrollment

Colorado's second largest school district is facing a critical issue as the new year begins. Jefferson County Public Schools must now decide if it will close and consolidate any schools due to dwindling enrollment numbers. 

Growth in several Jeffco elementary schools has been so slow, the school district might need to close some schools and move students around.

If schools were to close, it would be the third round of closures in three years due to declining enrollment -- the result of changing demographics, short supply of housing and even declining birth rates, which have been falling continuously for over a decade, according to the Colorado Department of Health.

Jeffco Public Schools had its peak number of school-aged children in 2001 and that number has been slowing declining ever since, according to one state demographer, who went on to say other school districts will likely face similar issues in the next few years.

There are more than a dozen schools that will see enrollment drop below 250 students next year, which are also are underutilizing space, according to data compiled by the school district.

The district superintendent says this is the toughest decision a district will ever have to make.

"If we don't do this work, it is a disservice to our community because at a certain point, once a school has extremely low enrollment, we cannot provide an extraordinary student performance," Superintendent Tracy Dorland told CBS News Colorado.

"We miss out on being able to provide before- and after-school care, we have teachers teaching two grade levels at the same time," Dorland said.

The number of schools and which ones would have to close is expected to be determined by the school district on Aug. 25.