DPS Board of Education Votes to Close Three Schools with Critically Low Enrollment

At a special meeting today, the Denver Public Schools Board of Education voted to close Mathematics Science and Leadership Academy (MSLA), Denver Discovery School (DDS) and Fairview Elementary. These three schools are critically under-enrolled, and the closings are part of a larger district-wide discussion to address low enrollment across the district.

“The most important value of Denver Public Schools is to always put students first. While it may seem counterintuitive to claim we are putting students first while closing their school, it is not,” said DPS Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero. “All of our students deserve equitable access to a high-quality education. When enrollment in a school drops to a critical level, those buildings no longer have the financial resources to provide the comprehensive education their students deserve. It then becomes our responsibility to take action and safeguard this access for our scholars.”

All three schools will remain open until the end of this school year. Denver Discovery School is projected to have just 62 students next year, MSLA is projected to have 104 students, and Fairview Elementary is projected to have 118 students. After the first round of choice enrollment, each school has fewer than 10 students enrolled in their entry-level grade for the 2023-24 school year.

“As the Board of Education we have a duty to make tough decisions,” said DPS Board of Education President Xóchitl Gaytán. “We want to thank Dr. Marrero and the administrative team for their thoughtful and respectful engagement with the impacted communities, and for taking steps to ensure our students, families, and staff members have the resources they need to successfully navigate their school closures.”

Parents and guardians from these three schools are encouraged to call the DPS Choice and Enrollment Services hotline at 720-423-3493 to apply for their preferred schools. The Choice and Enrollment Services Team will also remain open to working with parents of students who are currently enrolled in those schools.