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Tag: Boulder Valley School District

  • Boulder Valley School District seeks community input as enrollment decline threatens resources

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    BOULDER, Colo. — With over 26,000 total students and 34 elementary schools, the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) said it’s serving about 3,600 less students since 2017 and expects enrollment to decline another 1,700 students over the next five years.

    While no decisions have been made, district leaders said those numbers are prompting a broader conversation about how to plan for the future.

    BVSD cites declining birth rates and fewer families moving into the area because of the high cost of housing as reasons for the decline.

    “We have lower housing stock for younger families to move in, and then just the affordability of Boulder Valley School District. It makes it really hard for young families with children to move into our school district. So, families are choosing to move to areas where more affordable housing opportunities exist,” BVSD Assistant Superintendent Rob Price said.

    Just this past year, enrollment dropped by more than 500 students, which came as a surprise to the district when they were only projecting about half of that.

    Public schools are funded based on how many students are enrolled, so fewer students mean less money for districts to work with.

    “It would be about a $26 million loss over the next five years,” Price said.

    As enrollment drops, staffing adjusts as well. Some BVSD schools now have one class per grade, combo classes and part-time staff, creating what the district said is growing inequities between schools.

    “Those are the challenges we’re starting to see across the system, and that we really need to address. It shouldn’t depend on what school you go to or on what resources are available. That’s, right now, the system that we’ve created by not addressing the climate enrollment sooner,” Price said. “Some of it is not even about what happens today but thinking about five years from now. Those same schools won’t have the resources they have today, five years from now, if we do nothing. The problem is only going to get worse for us if we don’t address it now.”

    The district has been seeing the continued decline in enrollment since 2017, as well as more years of projected decline. That is now having district leaders want to be proactive by starting conversations with staff and families before any decisions are made.

    The district said no specific options have been developed yet and they are turning to staff and families for feedback on possible options.

    “We’re hearing loud and clear from our teachers that student experience is their top priority, and that’s why we’re doing this work, and that’s why this when I talk about the biggest impact of declining enrollment, we’re not talking about the dollars associated with it, we’re talking about the student experience and what we hope for a high quality student experience into the future for this district, and how can we set that to be sustainable throughout the next ten years,” Price said.

    District leaders will be gathering feedback from teachers and families over the next few months before they bring options to the board, but the district says any changes won’t happen until August of next year.

    “Expect clear and transparent communication as we move forward. The idea here is we didn’t come out of the gate with options, and we did that on purpose. We are stronger as a district when we work together with our community, and we have proven that time and time again,” Price said.

    In 2003, BVSD faced a similar situation with declining enrollment.

    “At that time, they closed two elementary schools and a middle school,” Price said.

    Back in August 2025, BVSD considered boundary changes for the first time in 40 years to combat low enrollment.

    Several other school districts have also recently seen a drop in enrollment.

    “This is not unique to Boulder Valley School District. We’ve been seeing these demographic trends for a while in the state. A number of school districts across the state and across the nation, are dealing with enrollment declines, and what we’re seeing right here in Boulder Valley School District, decline in birth rates is a significant factor,” Price said.

    Denver Public Schools is down 10,000 students this school year compared to the year prior, but DPS leaders said the district’s budget is stable for now, thanks to years of fiscal planning. Still, they acknowledge more changes could come if enrollment continues to drop.

    In November 2024, the DPS board voted to close seven schools and cut grades at three others due to declining enrollment.

    Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Sophia Villalba

    Denver7’s Sophia Villalba covers stories that have an impact in all of Colorado’s communities, but specializes in covering education. If you’d like to get in touch with Sophia, fill out the form below to send her an email.

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    Sophia Villalba

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  • Marshall fire payments due by year’s end, but how Xcel’s $640 million settlement will be divvied up to remain secret

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    Marshall fire victims who joined the massive lawsuit against Xcel Energy are expected to receive their portion of the $640 million settlement before the end of the year, but the amount of money each plaintiff receives will not be publicly disclosed.

    Xcel and plaintiffs’ attorneys announced the settlement Wednesday, just one day before the start of jury selection in a two-month civil trial to determine blame for the 2021 wildfire that killed two people and destroyed more than 1,000 homes in Boulder County.

    The full terms of the settlement will not be released, though private corporations involved in the litigation may need to disclose their payouts to shareholders. The individual homeowners who participated in the lawsuit will be required to sign nondisclosure agreements, said Paul Starita, a lawyer at Singleton Schreiber, one of the firms that represented homeowners.

    Teleport Communications America and Qwest Corporation, two co-defendants in the lawsuit, will contribute an undisclosed amount toward the settlement total.

    Not every person or company among the more than 4,000 plaintiffs will receive the same amount of money, Stirata said. The amount each receives will depend on the level of damages.

    Plaintiffs whose houses burned to the ground would be in line to receive more money than people who suffered smoke and soot damage, he said. People who rented housing or owned rental properties were also parties to the lawsuit, as were some people who only evacuated and sued for the nuisance. And claims involving deaths would be compensated with a higher amount.

    Attorneys figured out months ago what percentage of any settlement or jury award each plaintiff should receive, because those dollar figures were part of the mediation and settlement negotiations, Stirata said.

    “You add up all of those figures and the defendant pays you that lump sum and you give that to your clients,” he said. “It’s a fair settlement.”

    Payments should start being distributed within 60 days and be complete by the end of the year, Stirata said.

    The lawyers will also get a cut of the settlement as their payment for taking on the case. Each firm sets its own fee for the clients it accepted, Sirata said. He declined to reveal what percentage Singleton Schreiber will receive.

    A large chunk of the settlement will go to the 200 insurance companies that sued Xcel to compensate for the massive property damage claims they paid in the fire’s aftermath. In a legal filing ahead of the trial, those insurance firms said they suffered $1.7 billion in losses. It is not known what settlement amount they agreed to.

    The Target Corporation was a plaintiff as well because its store in Superior was closed for months due to fire damage. The city of Boulder, Boulder County and the Boulder Valley School District were also plaintiffs.

    The Dec. 30, 2021, Marshall fire was the most devastating wildfire in Colorado history, costing more than $2 billion in damages.

    The fire ignited first on the property of the Twelve Tribes religious cult, which has a compound on Eldorado Drive, near the Marshall Mesa Open Space. That ignition was caused by smoldering embers left over from a Dec. 24 burn-pit fire on the property.

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    Noelle Phillips

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  • Exploring Boulder, Colorado: From College Town To Growing Tech Hub

    Exploring Boulder, Colorado: From College Town To Growing Tech Hub

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    Like many cities across the American West, the origins of Boulder, Colorado, can be traced back to the gleam of gold. In the winter of 1859, the town was settled by a group of prospectors hoping to strike it rich in the rivers and streams that stretch across the mountainous landscape.

    By 1877, a number of small businesses had popped up along Pearl Street and the township had established a small college for a handful of students—the University of Colorado Boulder.

    Although today those feed stores and saloons have now been replaced by galleries and gourmet restaurants, the university’s student body has grown to over 30,000 and you’d be hard-pressed to find a local prospector, much of Boulder has remained unscathed by modern development.

    With 45,000 acres of protected open space—the largest per capita in the country—and long-standing slow-growth policies that have contained urban sprawl, Boulder has built a reputation as a world-class destination for outdoor recreation and one of the best places to live in the nation.

    Such a reputation has drawn the attention of many out-of-state buyers looking to get closer to nature. Pair that with the arrival of corporate offices for tech giants like Google, Apple and Amazon, and the wealth profile for prospective buyers has continued to grow, pushing the luxury real estate market to new heights.

    “In 2021, prices appreciated 19% and then 2022 was gangbusters,” says Marybeth Emerson of Slifer Smith & Frampton, whose recent sale of a $13 million mansion broke the record sale price for a residence in Boulder County. “This year, the ultra-luxury side—I’m going to call that $5 to $10 million— has been an extremely strong segment.”

    Regardless of rising real estate prices, Emerson says the community has remained committed to preserving its green spaces and the Boulder lifestyle.

    Homes in Boulder

    Having over 150 years of township means that Boulder is supplied with its fair share of historical homes. Thanks to their seniority, many older properties are located in desirable neighborhoods, like Mapleton Hill, Chautauqua and Old North Boulder.

    Although a number of restrictions have been placed on development, new construction homes still pop up on the market every so often. These modern products are often outfitted with top-of-the-line amenities, including retractable walls of glass for indoor-outdoor living, spas and saunas and home automation systems.

    Architectural styles are varied, however, a thorough line of natural accents, particularly stone, can be seen in a majority of homes, reflecting the Boulder landscape. With flat irons and mountain crests all around, a premium is placed upon windows and outdoor spaces to maximize scenic views.

    Prices in Boulder

    In 2009, the median home price in Boulder was $335,000. Last month, that number nearly increased fivefold for single-family homes, climbing to $1.5 million.

    At that price point, buyers can expect to find three- to four-bedroom detached homes or ultra-luxury condos.

    With sizable well-appointed homes found across the city, location is largely what dictates pricing—properties in proximity to parks and hiking trails, along with those featuring exceptional views or elevated positioning make up the highest end of the market.

    The Vibe of Boulder

    An outdoor lifestyle and appreciation for nature coupled with the active presence of CU Boulder has given the city a reputation as “granola,” a badge that residents seem to wear with honor.

    Events sponsored by the university and open to the public include educational talks, concerts and performances by the world’s leading artistic and scientific minds.

    While the city may often be associated with its natural landmarks, it still offers all the comforts, convenience and culture of an urban setting. Known for its food scene, breweries and nightlife, Boulder embodies the best of the “work hard, play hard” lifestyle, says Emerson.

    “The lifestyle here attracts the kind of people who within the same day can wake up at five o’clock in the morning for a hike, go to the office, watch their kid’s soccer game and that night go out with friends for dinner and drinks.”

    Schools in Boulder

    Regularly ranked among the top school districts in the state, Boulder Valley School District serves around 30,000 students across 56 schools throughout Boulder County.

    The University of Colorado Boulder, known for its extensive research programs, is considered one the best public schools in the country, with such distinguished alumni as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, South Park co-creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus, to name a few.

    Surrounding Boulder

    Often considered a suburb of Denver, Boulder resides 25 miles northwest of the state capital.

    For skiing enthusiasts, Breckenridge is less than two hours away and Aspen is slightly less than four hours by car.

    Denver International Airport, the second-largest airport in the world, serves 25 different airlines to over 215 destinations around the world.

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    Spencer Elliott, Contributor

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