Denver superintendent says he is not recommending any school boundary changes this year

Superintendent Alex Marrero of Denver Public Schools (DPS) has advised against any changes to school boundaries this year despite extensive community input. The district received feedback from hundreds who attended regional meetings and over 3,000 responses to a survey about factors to consider when redrawing school boundaries. DPS policy mandates analyzing and adjusting school boundaries every five years, starting this school year.

However, Marrero stated that he has recommended the board "make no changes to school boundaries and enrollment zones this fall."

Marrero cited declining district enrollment as the primary reason for his recommendation. The district's enrollment has dropped 1,780 students this fall, exceeding the anticipated 300 students. Marrero expressed concerns about burdening students with multiple rounds of school transitions due to boundary changes, given the steep enrollment declines.

DPS has not systematically examined its school boundaries since the end of a court-ordered cross-city busing system in 1995. The new boundary policy aims to balance enrollment among schools and prevent socioeconomically segregated schools. However, the feedback from the community has been mixed, with some families advocating for boundary changes while others fear potential impacts on their home values.

The school board is now considering consolidating the boundary policy with its policy on school closures. The board could vote on the consolidated policy as early as the end of the month, potentially aligning the boundary review timeline with the U.S. Census to limit the number of times families are affected by boundary changes.