More than 1.4 million American students left traditional public schools between 2019 and 2023. Wheat Ridge has been no exception to this trend, as evidenced by closing schools and declining enrollment in recent years.
Across Wheat Ridge and Jefferson County, families are increasingly choosing charter schools, homeschooling, and private education over traditional public schools. Susan Miller witnessed this shift firsthand during her time on the Jefferson County Board of Education from 2019-2023. During that time, 23 schools closed, and the district went through three different superintendents. “It was a busy time,” Miller says.
In Colorado, traditional public school enrollment has dropped by about 10,000 students, or 1.2%, in the past year, while full-time homeschooling increased by 5.5%. Children enrolled in online educational programs grew by 2.9% during the same period…