Dear PSD Community,
Earlier this month, I shared information about enrollment trends and the long-term demographic forces affecting Poudre School District. I am writing today to follow up after the Board of Education received an update from the district’s Comprehensive Planning Committee at its Jan. 27 meeting.
The committee is a community-based, advisory group charged with helping the district plan responsibly for the future. It does not make decisions, but instead studies data, builds shared understanding, and brings forward recommendations for the Board to consider.
Here is what the committee has focused on so far and where there is clear agreement.
What the committee has confirmed:
- Enrollment in PSD continues to decline and is projected to do so for at least the next five years, at roughly 2% per year.
- This decline is widespread across the district and is most pronounced at the elementary level.
- As enrollment decreases, district funding also declines. A 2% drop in enrollment equates to roughly $6 million in lost revenue.
- Many of our schools are operating well below capacity, and the number of vacant seats is projected to grow.
The committee unanimously agreed on a core conclusion:
- PSD currently has more school buildings than our projected student enrollment can sustainably support. When buildings are underutilized, limited resources are spread thin, making it harder to maintain staffing levels, student supports, and robust programming across all schools.
The committee is now shifting to its next phase of work: developing clear, objective criteria that may guide future conversations about consolidation or other facility-related actions, should the Board decide to pursue them. These criteria will draw on data, best practices from neighboring districts, and PSD’s values.
I want to emphasize the important role community and employee engagement will play in the next phase of the committee’s work. It is imperative that the voices of our community inform next steps in this process. As community engagement opportunities are scheduled in the next few months, more information will be shared district-wide.
The committee plans to bring recommended criteria, not decisions, to the Board of Education in May 2026. This work is intended to support thoughtful, transparent discussions and to ensure that any future planning is grounded in shared facts and clear expectations.
I want to reiterate what I shared previously: this update does not announce school closures. It does, however, reflect the importance of planning ahead rather than reacting later under more difficult circumstances.
I recognize that this topic brings understandable concern. My commitment remains the same – to communicate clearly, involve our community, and keep students at the center of every conversation. Strong school communities depend not only on great teaching and learning, but also on thoughtful stewardship of people, resources, and facilities over time.
Thank you for continuing to engage in this important work with care, honesty, and a shared commitment to our students.
With appreciation,
Brian Kingsley
Superintendent
Poudre School District