Forward Together FTFI Executive Summary

EXECUTIVE

SUMMARY FORWARD TOGETHER Inside the work of the Forward Together Facilities Initiative

Executive Summary

Executive Summary Westminster Public Schools (WPS) stands at a pivotal moment. After more than two decades of enrollment decline – mirroring demographic shifts across Colorado’s Front Range – the district must realign its facilities, programs, and grade configurations to ensure longterm sustainability and to provide every student with the full range of academic and developmental opportunities they deserve.

A combination of macro- and microlevel forces has reshaped the educational landscape locally and nationally. Birth rates have fallen sharply, both statewide and within WPS boundaries, dropping from more than 1,250 annually in the early 2000s to fewer than 950 today. At the same time, rising housing costs, limited turnover among aging homeowners, and regional affordability pressures have reduced the number of young families able to enter the community.

As a result, many WPS neighborhoods now have fewer school-aged children, a reality unlikely to reverse in the next decade. Enrollment declines are therefore structural – not performancedriven – and deeply connected to demographic, economic, and housing conditions.

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These shifts have significant implications for the district’s operational and instructional landscape. Many WPS schools now operate at far below intended capacity, while several buildings face aging infrastructure and facility needs that require major reinvestment. Facility Condition Index (FCI) data shows multiple campuses in “Poor” or “Critical” condition, with repair costs approaching or exceeding the cost of replacement.

Underutilization intensifies these pressures: fixed operating costs remain stable even as student enrollment decreases, increasing per-pupil expenditures and reducing flexibility for staffing and programming.

At the same time, the district’s widely valued PK-8 model – originally designed to deepen relationships, strengthen belonging, and simplify family logistics – has become increasingly difficult to sustain in it current configuration. Small PK-8 schools struggle to offer the electives, advanced coursework, world languages, enrichment activities, and specialized staffing required for highquality middle-level experiences.

Teachers in these settings often shoulder overloaded schedules, covering

covering multiple subjects and electives, a pattern made more acute by the ongoing national educator shortage. The result is a mismatch between what families appreciate about PK-8 schools and what students need to be fully prepared for high school.

Recognizing these challenges, Westminster Public Schools launched the Forward Together Facilities Initiative (FTFI), a year-long effort to study districtwide data, analyze facility conditions, review neighborhood trends, examine long-term enrollment patterns, and meaningfully engage families, staff, and community members. The committee paired this qualitative insight with a deep dive into multi-sector data – revealing how interconnected forces such as demographic trends, housing patterns, economic conditions, employment shifts, and school choice collectively shape the future of Westminster Public Schools.

Four core findings emerged from this process: 1.Enrollment decline is structural, not performance-driven. Lower birth rates, affordability barriers, and demographic aging – not academic quality – are the primary drivers of declining student populations.

2.Many buildings are underutilized or approaching end-of-life. FCI data highlights multiple campuses requiring significant

2.significant capital investment, an unsustainable trajectory given declining enrollment.

3.Small PK-8 schools cannot sustain comprehensive middlelevel programming.

These schools struggle to offer robust electives, advanced coursework, specialized staffing, and adequate peer cohorts for grades 6-8.

4.WPS must right-size now to avoid more disruptive closures later. Long-term demographic trends indicate continued decline unless the district acts proactively to realign facilities and programs.

To ensure fairness, transparency, and rigor, the committee developed and applied a weighted rubric that evaluates each school across five key indicators: Facility Condition Index (Weight 5) Enrollment Trends (Weight 4) Budget Efficiency/Per-Pupil Cost (Weight 4) Neighborhood Census Indicators (Weight 4) Academic Trends (Weight 2) This structure ensured decisions were guided by evidence and long-term stewardship rather than assumptions or short-term pressures.

Using the rubric results, each school received a viability score in one of four categories: High Viability (65-75): sustain and invest

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Moderate Viability (58-64): keep open; monitor closely Borderline (53-57): consider consolidation or repurposing Low Viability (47-52): Candidate for closure Three schools – Hidden Lake Secondary School, Shaw Heights Middle School, and Mesa Elementary – scored in the Low Viability range, prompting recommendations for closure or program relocation.

Recommendations to the Board of Education The committee recommends a phased, multi-year approach (2026-2029) that strengthens instructional opportunities, consolidates middle-level programming into stronger hubs, protects valued programs, and aligns facilities to longterm sustainability.

Guiding Principles Behind the Recommendations Throughout the process, the committee held seven core beliefs: 1.Sustainability must guide system design.

2.Resources must be invested where they create maximum opportunity.

3.Family preferences matter, but student needs must lead.

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4.Plans must prepare for future students, not only those enrolled today.

5.Programs and buildings must be evaluated separately.

6.Staffing models must be equitable and sustainable.

7.The plan must create long-term stability – not short-term fixes.

Schools Recommended for Closure or Facility Retirement Hidden Lake Secondary School (facility only) Retire the building; relocate the program to the Mesa Elementary site.

Rationale: 93% FCI; repair costs approach replacement.

Shaw Heights Middle School Affirm previously approved consolidation with Flynn PK-8 into the unified Falcon/Uplands campus.

Mesa Elementary Close in 2028-29; reassign students based on new school boundaries.

Rationale: declining enrollment, aging neighborhood demographics, immediate proximity to expanding PK-8 hub.

PK-8 to PK-6

structural changes due to strong performance across viability indicators: Metropolitan Arts Academy (MET) Colorado STEM Academy (CSA) Orchard Park Academy Westminster High School

Transitions and Middle-Grade Consolidation To expand opportunities, reduce staffing pressure, and enhance student belonging, the committee recommends shifting most PK-8 schools to PK-6, consolidating grades 7-8 into two stronger middle-grade hubs: 2026-2027: Sherrelwood ⟶ PK-6 2027-2028: Fairview ⟶ PK-6 (grades 7-8 to CSLA) WAIS merges with Harris Park into a unified PK-6 Tennyson Knolls ⟶ PK-6 (grades 7-8 to Hodgkins) 2028-2029: Sunset Ridge ⟶ PK-6 (grades 7-8 to Falcon/Uplands) Falcon/Uplands expands into both the Shaw Heights and Flynn buildings Mesa Elementary closes

Programs Recommended to Remain As-Is The following structural

schools

require

In Summary The Forward Together recommendations position Westminster Public Schools to: Strengthen middle-level academic and enrichment opportunities, Protect and elevate high-value programs, Modernize and right-size facilities, Use financial resources responsibly, Ensure long-term system stability, and Keep schools as thriving anchors of their neighborhoods.

Every student deserves access to strong, stable schools designed for the future – not the past.

These recommendations reflect a plan grounded in values, shaped by community voice, and aligned with the demographic and economic realities facing Westminster today and in the years ahead.

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