Months before Boulder Valley School District was scheduled to recommend how to address declining enrollment, officials were preparing for the possibility of closing and consolidating schools, according to emails obtained by Boulder Reporting Lab.
The records suggest that, in March, officials may have discussed closing two elementary schools and possibly a middle school. They also show the district commissioning a facilities analysis, developing plans for handling staffing changes with its unions and discussing possible uses for buildings that could become vacant.
BVSD has publicly described its planning process as broad and open-ended, emphasizing that no decisions have been made and that closures are only one possible response to declining enrollment.
In March, after meeting with Superintendent Rob Anderson and Assistant Superintendent of Operations Rob Price, Broomfield City and County Manager Jennifer Hoffman wrote that “it sounds like two elementary schools and possibly one middle school are currently being considered for closure.”
The email’s subject line was “Follow up to our conversation: School closure (Centennial).” Hoffman later told Boulder Reporting Lab that Centennial Middle School came up as a question about whether it had been identified for possible closure, not as a school that officials said would close.
In a follow-up exchange with Boulder Reporting Lab, Hoffman confirmed that the meeting included discussion of possibly closing two elementary schools and a middle school, but that no decisions had been made about which schools. She also said Broomfield officials were simultaneously preparing for presentations from both BVSD and Adams 12 Five Star Schools, which is undertaking its own closure process.
Anderson denied that he and Price discussed schools that might close.
“We certainly didn’t talk to her about schools or things that were closing because we wouldn’t have made those decisions yet because we hadn’t had any of our feedback from the community, which is what we’ve committed to,” Anderson said.
Four elementary schools are already operating below half capacity, while 11 more are projected to fall below half capacity or have fewer than two classes per grade by 2030.
The district says the planning process is about improving student experiences, not closing buildings. But under BVSD’s staffing model, schools with low enrollment receive fewer staff and offer fewer programs and services. Improving student experiences, therefore, may require combining or closing schools.
Planning for possible closures began before public listening sessions
BVSD launched its public process in early February, presenting it as a multiphase effort to gather employee and community feedback and determine how to respond to declining enrollment.
That month, the district hired two consulting firms with experience advising districts on school closures. One was brought in to help design the community listening sessions held in March. The other was hired to advise BVSD throughout the planning and community engagement process. Together, the contracts authorized up to $130,000.
A contract with Plannfully noted that the firm had “supported the closure or consolidation of more than 30 schools” and advised school system leaders through complicated organizational changes. Another contract with ERS referred to the “emotional resistance” surrounding school closures because of previous community opposition.
“Their role as an advisor was to bring research to the table,” Anderson said.
The emails show that BVSD’s preparations had begun months earlier. Last November, the district began discussions with a contractor about producing a facilities analysis that could be used to evaluate possible closures and consolidations. The analysis would examine educational programming, building conditions and capacity.
Planning notes also addressed whether school mergers could require renovations or additional space to accommodate more special education students.
Emails also show district officials working with the Boulder Valley Education Association, the union representing BVSD teachers, and the Boulder Valley Classified Employees Association, which represents hourly and support staff, on how employees would be reassigned if schools closed.
BVSD Communications Director Randy Barber said the district had not reached a separate policy or memorandum of understanding with the teachers union specifically governing possible school closures.
“The way that teachers are supported through the transition will align with the 2026-2029 BVEA Negotiated Agreement,” he said.
District researched options for closed schools
In October 2025, the school board directed the administration to move more quickly on declining enrollment. The following week, a district planner searched for an old agreement governing the disposal of school property in Boulder, according to an email.
The planner wrote that the agreement, developed following school closures in 2003, gave the City of Boulder a one-year right of first refusal if BVSD sought to sell a school. If the city did not develop a purchase plan during that period, BVSD could “dispose of the property however we see fit,” the planner wrote.
The agreement was later used in the disposal of Washington Elementary, which closed in 2003 and was sold to a developer in 2009, according to the email.
The district also sought advice from other school systems about managing vacant buildings. In an email exchange with Jefferson County Public Schools, Price received an estimate for maintaining a closed school. A Jeffco official estimated that keeping a building vacant could cost about $150,000 a year.
The emails also suggest that district officials were concerned that a charter school could occupy a vacated building and compete with BVSD for students. After Anderson visited Bear Creek Elementary, a teacher wrote that he had “mentioned that a primary concern with closing a school was that a charter school would buy it and open a competing facility.” The email reflects the teacher’s recollection of Anderson’s comments.
District explored uses for potentially vacant schools
The emails show that BVSD has discussed potential uses for school buildings that could become vacant.
District officials met with the Museum of Boulder in recent months to discuss housing part of its collection in a school building that becomes available.
In June, district leaders asked the museum for detailed information about its space requirements. After receiving it, a BVSD official said the district would revisit the possibility in the fall, “when we know exactly which schools will be available.”
District emails described a potential partnership as a “win-win” that could generate revenue while allowing BVSD to retain ownership of the property.
The museum and district said they have not discussed the museum permanently acquiring a school. Museum officials said they have discussed “space-sharing” with BVSD, but no agreement has been reached.
The district said conversations with organizations interested in particular buildings would not influence which schools it recommends closing.
School board to receive recommendation Aug. 25
District staff are scheduled to present a recommended plan to the school board during a special work session at 3 p.m. on Aug. 25. The meeting will be streamed on YouTube.
The board will not take public comment during the work session. Community members will be able to comment at subsequent board meetings on Sept. 8 and 22. The district expects the board to make a decision before open enrollment begins in November.
Board President Nicole Rajpal did not respond to questions about whether board members knew about the district’s preparations for possible closures or its conversations about future uses of vacated buildings.
In a July statement to Boulder Reporting Lab, Rajpal said any closure decisions would be based on community feedback, educational considerations and the district’s responsibility to manage its resources wisely.
This is excellent reporting. I find it encouraging that BVSD is carefully approaching this painful issue with a lot of analysis in advance of a final decision, as some closings seem inevitable.
I’m glad to hear that BVSD is doing thorough research before making any decisions.
It makes sense that there would be specific scenarios/buildings discussed with community leaders and organizations leading up to and during the process. Rob Anderson has said for years that he would not close schools, but it’s not ultimately his decision.
It seems perfectly reasonable that BVSD would have internal discussions of various options, including closing schools, while also carrying out public meetings and gathering input from many sources. It doesn’t mean that any outcome is/was a foregone conclusion.
Thank you for reporting on this. As an old fart who has seen a few cycles of falling enrollment the district needs to look VERY long term and not just dump the properties. Even paying $150,000 a year to keep a school vacant is better than a future with trying to buy such property back. Most people buy their homes due to the local schools. The one thing we do NOT want is a school torn down and apartments or high density housing put in. This is salt in the would of the local residents and could possibly then need the very school that was torn down.(now habitat for humanity low density homes could fit nicely into some of the neighborhoods) Consolidating schools if fine..but KEEP all the properties and mothball or lease them out, until needed in the future.
Nobody wants to see their neighborhood school close due to demographic changes.
Perhaps the buildings could be repurposed for teacher housing needs or community educational programs like language immersion or mathematics.
Thank you for reporting on this. News of the school closures was especially hard because earlier in the year the school board redistricted nearly 30 students from Creekside to Bear Creek, causing major disruption to these families, their bus routes, and their after school care programs, as well as their many friendships. It came during a time when many parents were also impacted by federal government decisions that affected the NCAR facility. To now wonder if the school we were redistricted to will now close is just salt in the wound. Thanks for reporting on this, it’s a tough time to be a South Boulder parent, our South Boulder daycare also recently closed.