Douglas County Schools proposes closure of three elementary schools ahead of 2026-27 school year

Douglas County School District on Monday proposed closing three Highlands Ranch elementary schools beginning in the 2026-27 school year: Saddle Ranch Elementary School, Heritage Elementary School and Acres Green Elementary School.

The district, which has 61,851 students this year, has also identified three other schools to accept students attending the closing schools — Eldorado Elementary School, Summit View Elementary School and Fox Creek Elementary School.

Eldorado Elementary will absorb students from Saddle Ranch; Summit View Elementary will receive students from Heritage Elementary; and Fox Creek will enroll students from Acres Green Elementary.

“While change is never easy, DCSD’s priority remains the same: ensuring that every child has access to an exceptional education and a very bright future,” district spokesperson Paula Hans wrote in an emailed statement.

District leaders notified staff in an email Monday afternoon about the schools they propose closing and the schools they want to inherit displaced students. Their proposal now goes to the school board, whose seven members will vote on the district’s recommendations during their April 8 meeting before making a final decision April 22 about which schools to shutter.

District officials whittled down a list of 16 schools under consideration for closure, selecting three to shut down and three to take in students based on a set of criteria board members approved in February.

Douglas County School District is among the latest Colorado districts to announce the need to consolidate schools, in part due to declining enrollment. Student counts across the 16 schools under consideration have plunged to about 6,000 students this school year from about 10,500 students in 2012, according to figures previously provided by the district.

Districtwide, the student census has fallen by more than 5,400 students in the past five years, state data shows.

However, while Highlands Ranch schools have seen dips in student numbers — due to declining birth rates and an aging population of homeowners staying put in their homes — another part of the district is experiencing growth. New housing developments, Sterling Ranch and Solstice, about 10 miles from Highlands Ranch are fueling a pressing need for new schools.

Local voters approved a $490 million bond in November, which will go toward building two elementary schools, in Sterling Ranch and RidgeGate.

This is a developing story that will be updated.