Overview
- State enrollment fell by more than 10,000 students to 870,793 in the October count, a 1.1%–1.2% decline, according to new Colorado Department of Education data.
- The four-year graduation rate rose to 85.6% and the statewide dropout rate fell to 1.6%, both the best levels reported in more than a decade of tracking.
- Enrollment of multilingual learners declined 5.7% to 99,385, and the state recorded 4,395 fewer Hispanic students than last year, reflecting shifting demographics.
- Homeschooling increased 5.5% to 10,367 students and online program enrollment grew 2.9% to about 34,600, indicating movement toward nontraditional options.
- Districts reported budget strain tied to the lower headcount, with Jeffco forecasting a $49 million deficit after losing 1,530 students, and officials citing lower birth rates, more part-time or online schooling, and fewer immigrant students during stepped-up federal deportations.