October Count: What it Means for Jeffco and other Districts Across the Front Range
The October count is the official student headcount for all Colorado public school districts that determines per pupil funding from the state. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) released the 2023-24 October count data showing that Jeffco Public Schools and other districts across the front range continue to experience a decline in enrollment due to several factors -- the most apparent being fewer school-aged children from declining birth rates.
Jeffco saw an enrollment decrease of less than 2% from the prior year (a loss of 1,179 students in K-12 education, going from 74,769 students enrolled in 2022-23 to 73,590 in 2023-24). You can learn more about permanently shifting demographics related to Colorado’s school age population from the state demographer’s October 2022 presentation.
For a district with declining enrollment, the October count used in the funding formula is an average of the current year and up to four prior years, sometimes referred to as a five-year average. This computed five-year average enrollment is higher than the actual enrollment if a district has experienced consistent enrollment declines. For Jeffco, the five-year average computation increases our funded student count by approximately 3,000 additional students for the current year.
“Together with our community, Jeffco has confronted the challenges of declining enrollment head-on,” Jeffco Public Schools Superintendent Tracy Dorland said, “We are now much better positioned to ensure every child receives the education and experiences they deserve. This work has been difficult, but it has been the right work, and this data affirms that. It ensures that the number of students in our schools today have access to equitable resources and an extraordinary student experience.”
Jeffco Public Schools Enrollment Statistics
Additional Jeffco Public Schools enrollment statistics as shared in the August 2023 Regional Opportunities for Thriving Schools Phase II Board Resolution:
- Jeffco, including its charter schools, served just over 83,000 K-12 students as of October 2017.
- Jeffco served just under 74,000 K-12 students as of October 2023, for a loss of approximately 9,000 K-12 students. Over a six-year period, it is an average decline of about 1,500 students per year.
- However, declines were not even across this time period. The largest drop of 3,300 K-12 students was from October 2019 to October 2020. This year, the drop of approximately 1,179 K-12 students follows a pattern from the past several years whereby the declines are tapering.