Jenna Sampson

2 months ago | boulderreportinglab.org | Jenna Sampson |Stacy Feldman

Declining enrollment remains a long-term challenge for the Boulder Valley School District, but this year’s numbers were better than expected — by nearly 1%, or just under 250 students. A larger-than-projected kindergarten cohort helped cushion the decline and has improved enrollment forecasts. Since enrollment directly impacts state funding, the new projections have given district leaders cautious optimism.

Feb 3, 2025 | boulderreportinglab.org | Jenna Sampson |Stacy Feldman

As fear and uncertainty spread through the immigrant community, more than 300 undocumented students at the University of Colorado Boulder are feeling more vulnerable than ever. A longstanding federal policy restricting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in sensitive spaces — schools, churches and hospitals — was rescinded by an executive order from President Trump.

Jan 17, 2025 | boulderreportinglab.org | Jenna Sampson |Stacy Feldman

A proposed new charter school emphasizing inclusivity for neurodiverse and special education students is under review by the Boulder Valley Board of Education. Grove Elementary would be an offshoot of Bal Swan, a private preschool in Broomfield, with its educational philosophy extending to the new publicly funded charter school. The Boulder Valley School District has five charter schools, four approved between 1996 and 1999, and the most recent in 2002.

Jan 8, 2025 | boulderreportinglab.org | Jenna Sampson |Stacy Feldman

New Vista students walked into their brand-new school for the first time on Jan. 7, greeted with a red carpet welcome at the corner of Baseline and Broadway. The building, which has big views of the Flatirons to the west and CU Boulder to the east, is the first purpose-built home for New Vista since its founding. New Vista is a small, alternative high school that has been relocated multiple times since it launched in 1993 by founding principal Rona Wilensk, who ran it for nearly 17 years.

Dec 9, 2024 | boulderreportinglab.org | Jenna Sampson |Stacy Feldman

Schools are not immune to the effects of heated political rhetoric, and the Boulder Valley School District is preparing to act. During a recent board meeting, members discussed plans to reassure undocumented students and other vulnerable groups facing potential threats from shifting national policies. After an election cycle dominated by immigration and LGBTQ+ rights, some BVSD students and families have expressed growing fears about an impending shakeup as the Trump administration takes power.