DENVER — Denver Public Schools leaders are sounding the alarm over budget concerns, pointing to low enrollment and potential funding cuts.
According to DPS Chief Financial Officer Chuck Carpenter, the district saw a 1,300 student enrollment decline this year compared to last. The district originally anticipated a decline in only 800 students this year.
"Over the last two years, we had a lot of students that were immigrating into the country," Carpenter said. "A lot of folks came from Denver, from Venezuela in particular, other countries, and a number of those students have not come back this year."
DPS estimates it will lose about $18.5 million as a result of declining enrollment.
"When you have less kids, you have less funding," Carpenter said.
The CFO also attributed budget concerns to potential funding cuts on both the state and federal levels.
Although the district cannot quantify impact of state funding yet, the state "has communicated an inability to meet their budgetary needs next year," according to Carpenter.
Meanwhile, DPS anticipates the district could lose up to $10 million in federal funding related to teacher training, programs teaching students English, and after-school programs.
"Those are programs that we've counted on at DPS and have never really been something you have to worry about from a funding standpoint," Carpenter said. "You put all three of those things together and I think it's, it's a real challenging financial situation. Any one of them would be challenging. All three of them together is a lot."
DPS has already closed 13 schools in recent years.
Previous coverage: Denver Public Schools Board of Education unanimously votes to close 7 schools amid declining enrollment
As for the current school year, the CFO said the district is felling "pretty good" about the financial situation.
"This is not a moment where we need to sit here in October of 2025 and panic, but do know that in the next couple of years we're going to have to make changes," Carpenter said.
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