Questions and concerns arise among parents and staff amid Denver school closure proposal

Staff and parents in Denver have many questions and concerns after learning their schools are recommended for consolidation.  

On Tuesday, Denver Public Schools released a list of 10 elementary and middle schools that could close due to low enrollment. If approved by the board next month, each would consolidate with another nearby school in the district.  

In an interview with CBS News Colorado, Superintendent Alex Marrero said the plan is "far from a win" for many families but called it a chance to unify communities as enrollment in the district declines due to a combination of rising housing costs and declining birthrates.  

Over the next four years, the district expects another 3,000 student decline, costing $36 million annually in per-pupil funding. 

"We have to right-size our district," Marrero said. "It's becoming close to impossible to deliver a robust education once we have less than 200 or 100 students, which is the case in certain schools."  

After seven years at Eagleton Elementary, teacher Kerry Andrews can recall few moments like this. 

"It was definitely blindsiding," Andrews said. "It has been a period of grief. There's mourning happening today." 

Following months of consideration, her school is now one of ten recommended for consolidation. While a solution to the district's woes, she feels the community had little say and has even less time to speak up. 

"I worry that the voices of our families, the voices of our teachers, our staff, our community, were not heard or listened to or even asked," Andrews said.  

The district's board will hear the recommendations next week and make its final decision just two weeks after that. In the meantime, there will be meetings at each school, many of which are located in communities of color.  

"We're unifying communities. We're not sending students across town," Marrero said. "Everybody has the option to exercise choice, and we encourage that if that's what the community or impacted families want."  

In each case, the welcoming school is just two miles away from the school recommended to close.  

According to Marrero, the criteria used by the district's Declining Enrollment Committee largely included enrollment numbers that come out in October, as well as other factors unique to the location. Schools with critically low enrollment of under 215 were recommended to be closed.  

"It's absolutely purposeful to make sure that we were intentional, and in terms of the turnaround we wanted to make sure that we have enough time in the spring and summer to make sure we can welcome students in the '23-24 school year," Marrero said. "The community is going to continually be involved in the process, so the entire spring the community is going to weigh in on how they want to be welcomed in a new setting." 

With board approval, Eagleton Elementary will unify with Cowell Elementary at Cowell. The district ensures all staff will have a job. 

Andrews' bigger worry surrounds how the move will impact the culture staff at Eagleton has worked so hard to build.                  

"Eagleton has been a beating heart of this Villa Park community for a very long time. To consider how that energy can transfer to another building is exciting but it's really, sad," Andrews said. "Are we doing what's best for our children who walk into these buildings every day? Are we doing what's best by them?" 

A district spokesperson said there will be one large public comment meeting and then each school will have more private meetings. 

When asked if there could be more closures in the future, Marrero said he hopes not, but can't say with absolute certainty.  

The district's plan includes the following proposals: 

• Columbian Elementary will unify with Trevista at Trevista 
• Palmer Elementary will unify with Montclair School of Academics and Enrichment K-5 grades at Montclair ECE at Palmer 
• Math Science Leadership Academy (MSLA) will unify with Valverde Elementary at Valverde 
• Schmitt Elementary will unify with Godsman Elementary at Godsman 
• Eagleton Elementary will unify with Cowell Elementary at Cowell 
• Fairview Elementary and Colfax Elementary will unify with K-5 grades at Cheltenham and ECE at Colfax 
• International Academy of Denver at Harrington will unify with Columbine Elementary and Swansea Elementary in a new enrollment zone with Columbine and Swansea. 
• Denver Discovery School will unify with schools in the Greater Park Hill – Central Park Enrollment zone. 
• Whittier K-8 will unify with schools in the Greater Five Points Elementary Enrollment Zone and the Near Northeast Middle School Enrollment Zone. 

The recommended list of schools and the process of closing and consolidating schools will be presented to the Board of Education on Thursday, Nov. 3. The Board of Education will then vote on the recommendation on Thursday, Nov. 17.