Colorado public school enrollment drops in 2022

DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) -- The state reports Colorado public school enrollment declined slightly in the fall of 2022.

According to the Colorado Department of Education, the 2022/2023 academic school year had 3,253 fewer students compared to 2021. Colorado schools posted a 0.37% decrease in enrollment in the fall of 2022 in preschool through 12th grade. A total of 883,264 students in preschool through 12th grade were counted in Colorado's public schools in Oct.

This is the second decline in three years after three decades of steady year-to-year increases.

However, the CDE said the year-to-year enrollment increased slightly in 2021 after a 2020 decline, which was the first decrease in statewide enrollment since 1990.

The biggest drops were reported in kindergarten and middle school. Kindergarten enrollment declined by 2,373 students in Oct. 2022, or by 3.82%. Middle school enrollment declined by 4,506 students or a 2.24% decline.

Among races and ethnicities, the CDE reported white students had the highest number of changes in the count with 7,673 fewer students in 2022 compared to 2021, a 1.67% decline. The CDE said American Indian or Alaska natives had the highest percentage drop with 4.65% fewer students in 2022 than in 2021.

The enrollment rate also dropped for homeschooled students. According to CDE data, 8,674 students were counted as homeschooled in the fall of 2022 compared to 10,502 in 2021. Online, 30,799 students were registered in online educational programs, which was 583 fewer students than in 2021.

Overall, the CDE said 94 of the state's 178 school districts and seven Boards of Cooperative Educational Services reported drops in enrollment, with 85 districts and BOCES reporting increasing enrollment.

Click here to access the complete 2022-23 school year student count information.