Phase II Recommendation

Since spring of 2021, due to very low enrollment in parts of Jeffco, the district has had to make incredibly difficult recommendations to close 19 schools.

This year, Coal Creek Canyon K-8 School (Coal Creek K-8) is the lowest enrolled district-managed Jeffco school and will serve fewer than 85 students, which is a 45% decline in enrollment since 2019.

Similarly, Arvada K-8 School (Arvada K-8) will use just 60% of its intended capacity and serve fewer than 560 students as the district’s second lowest enrolled K-8 school. Enrollment is not projected to increase and both schools are urgently unsustainable.

On August 24, district staff recommended the Jeffco Public Schools Board of Education (Board) consider a closure of Coal Creek K-8 and Arvada K-8 on the basis of unsustainable enrollment. 

The Challenge

Since the spring of 2021, Jeffco has taken action to close 19 schools, including closing 16 small elementary schools as part of Phase I of Regional Opportunities for Thriving Schools. 

The criteria used for Phase I of Regional Opportunities for Thriving Schools is not applicable for Phase II for the following reasons: 

  • At the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, Jeffco had 100+ elementary schools, very close together geographically.
  • Elementary schools have fewer students than most K-8 and middle schools, which are designed to serve more students in order to have the resources they need to serve a larger grade span and provide the programmatic elements – specialized instruction and elective courses in preparation for high school – required for older students.
  • There are 17 middle schools in Jeffco. In most cases, there is one middle school in each articulation area, meaning that schools are geographically farther apart than elementary schools.
    • Two articulation areas have two middle schools (Chatfield and Standley Lake)
    • Two articulation areas do not have middle schools because they have K-6 elementary schools and 7-12 Jr/Sr High Schools (Alameda and Jefferson)
  • There are five K-8 schools in Jeffco in only four articulation areas (Bear Creek, Chatfield, Arvada and Ralston Valley).

View the Phase II Resolution approved by the Board on May 11, 2023. 

The Opportunity

  • The Board voted in June 2023 to meet the community’s desire to sustain the Pomona articulation area with a 6-12 school at Pomona in the 2024-25 school year, which means Moore Middle School will close at the end of the 2023-24 school year.
  • The district can address long-term sustainability issues in two communities with the smallest K-8 enrollment, Coal Creek K-8 and Arvada K-8.
  • Boundary students from closing schools can be accommodated in their current articulation areas.
  • These recommendations will impact approximately 524 students and 97 staff across two school communities.

About the Phase II Recommendation

Arvada K-8 School

As the second smallest enrolled K-8 school in the district, Arvada K-8 is not sustainable and has been recommended for closure at the end of 2023-24 school year.

 If the Board of Education (Board) approves this recommendation on October 12, 2023:

  • Starting in the 2024-25 school year: Lawrence Elementary will be the K-5 designated neighborhood school for students residing in the current Arvada K-8 boundary area.
  • Starting in the 2024-25 school year: North Arvada Middle School will be the 6-8 designated neighborhood school for students residing in the current Arvada K-8 boundary area, and the feeder school for Lawrence Elementary School.
  • The district will support choice-enrolled students at Arvada K-8 to enroll in their designated neighborhood school or apply to enroll in a Jeffco school of their choice.
  • The Significant Support Needs (SSN) Center program, which serves students in grades 6-8, will move to Pomona 6-12. Jeffco’s Office of Student Success will contact center program families with further details.

Coal Creek Canyon K-8 School

As the smallest enrolled K-8 school and the smallest school in the district, Coal Creek K-8 is not sustainable and has been recommended for closure. 

If the Board of Education (Board) approves this recommendation on October 12, 2023:

  1. The 2023-24 school year will be the final year for grades 6-8 at Coal Creek K-8 
    • Students residing within the Jeffco Public Schools district boundary in grades 6-8 will have guaranteed enrollment at Three Creeks K-8 as their new neighborhood school and transportation will be provided for eligible students.
    • Coal Creek K-8 choice-enrolled students do not have guaranteed enrollment at Three Creeks K-8.
    • All impacted Coal Creek K-8 students, including those who are choice-enrolled, will receive a special level of priority in the choice enrollment process for Jeffco schools. 
  2. The timeline for the closure of grades K-5 at the Coal Creek K-8 will be in the October 12 resolution on which the Board will vote.
    • When grades K-5 close:
      • Students residing within the Jeffco Public Schools district boundary in grades K-5 will have guaranteed enrollment at Three Creeks K-8 as their new neighborhood school and transportation will be provided for eligible students. Students will also receive a special level of priority in the choice enrollment process for Jeffco schools.
      • Coal Creek K-8 choice-enrolled students in grades K-5 do not have guaranteed enrollment at Three Creeks K-8, but will receive a special level of priority in the choice enrollment process for Jeffco schools. 

Exploring Sustainable Educational Options for Coal Creek Canyon

The timing of the closure of grades K-5 is dependent on a parallel process that the district is running to explore sustainable educational options for Coal Creek Canyon. Since meeting with the community last spring, district staff have been researching sustainable education options for the community. Through that process we have determined that exploring the possibility of having a charter school, sustainably small by design, serve the Coal Creek Community is a viable prospect.

On August 25, Jeffco begins a formal process to seek interest from prospective charter school applicants that can demonstrate a capacity to provide quality education to serve students in the Coal Creek Canyon area beginning in the 2025-26 school year.

On September 22, the district received notification that some charter partners are considering the possibility of beginning operations in the 2024-25 school year to serve the Coal Creek Canyon community. The district recognizes that this aligns more closely with the community's desire for a sustainable educational option. Charter schools that could open a school to serve Coal Creek Canyon beginning in August 2024 are encouraged to attach a supplement to their letter of intent expressing their ability to do so.

The results of this process will inform the timeline on which staff recommends grades K-5 be closed as part of the Board vote on October 12. This process will not impact the timeline for closure of grades 6-8, which will occur at the end of the 2023-24 school year. Please see below for how this process will impact the October 12, 2023 Jeffco Board vote.

Timeline of exploring susutainable educational options for coal creek canyon Note: The district's official charter application window commences in Spring 2024.

District staff will update the community on the exploration of sustainable educational options for Coal Creek Canyon during the two planned community meetings and in advance of the October 12, 2023 Board vote. The Jeffco Board will not have a role in assessing charter applications until its formal charter school authorization process which occurs annually from March – June.

Learn more about the Letter of Intent requirements and submission process

Moore Middle School - Approved June 22, 2023

On June 22, 2023, the Jeffco Board of Education voted to meet the community’s desire to sustain the Pomona articulation area with a 6-12 model at Pomona in the 2024-25 school year, which means Moore Middle School will close at the end of the 2023-24 school year. 

Learn more about the Pomona community-led vision. 

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