Declining Enrollment in Denver: Community Voices on School Closure and Policy Alternatives

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Research on School Closures, Zoning Policies, and De/Segregation (Table 9)

Abstract

American public schools are projected to lose 3 million students in the next decade. While districts often close schools due to funding reductions and underutilized facilities, they often have multiple policy options available to mitigate the negative effects of declining enrollment. This study seeks to understand the policy process through which a school district responds to declining enrollment. Specifically, I draw on interviews with Denver policymakers and community members to examine how stakeholders frame school closure, perceive alternatives to school closure, and conceptualize equity in the context of declining enrollment.

Author

• Kenton K Shimozaki, Vanderbilt University