Fewer babies lately mean noticeable impacts on Colorado school districts

Colorado has seen declining birth rates for years, and it's starting to have a noticeable impact on school districts. Jefferson County is the latest to propose school closures amid low enrollment, and hosted a meeting Tuesday night to breakdown the data.

"The data tells a really interesting and important story about the choices people are making that are not their neighborhood schools," said Lisa Relou, Chief of Strategy and Communications for the Jefferson County School District.

Relou says not only are families are choosing schools outside their neighborhoods which is compounded by what appears to be the opposite of a baby boom.

The data shows there are more than a dozen schools that will see enrollment drop below 250 students in schools where less than 60% of the space is being utilized. There are now too many schools in the district and not enough students.

"You see that across the nation and you also see that here in Jeffco and you know I think housing prices and the availability of housing is an issue," said Relou.

While housing is an issue, the state demographers office says it's been 15 years since Colorado saw its peak number of births. Rates have been declining since.

"Only five percent of our total growth over the last decade was kids, which is the slowest we've ever seen. In the country there was a million person decline in the under 18 population," said Elizabeth Garner, State Demographer.

Garner says in Jefferson County, the decline in the number of kids has been going on for a bit longer.

"What's interesting with Jefferson country, they had their peak number of what we call school age children in 2001, and it has been slowing down ever since," she said.

Garner says it's safe to assume that most school districts in the state will grapple with declining enrollment in some form if they haven't already.

"This will happen little by little until first it might impact the K-6's or the K-5's, then it will impact middle school, then it will hit high school in terms of that slowing enrollment."

Garner did say that counties like Weld, and Adams are still seeing solid growth but the numbers are lower than they have been historically.

Jefferson County has had to close two other schools in the last two years and now has a strategy to make sure impact to staff and families is minimal. In these cases transportation to new schools was still provided, kids were kept with their peers, and given a day to spend at their new schools to meet new classmates and teachers.

"We're going to support you to help you make choices about attending a school that feels right for your family, that feels right for your child and it will be a very personalized experienced for students and for families and for of course our staff as well, "said Relou.

The district will list the schools slated for closure and it will go to a vote in November for the following school year. It will have a public meeting in January to discuss options for future use of the buildings.

If you would like to look at the data compiled for your school, you can visit the Jefferson County Public Schools website and see the FCB report.