Like many school districts across the United States, Durango School District is navigating significant changes. Declining enrollment and birth rates, inadequate funding, rising housing costs, aging facilities, and evolving educational needs are reshaping public education – including here in Durango.

The stakes are high. We must look forward with resilience or risk depleting the resources, programs, and learning opportunities our students need and expect. Change also gives us an opportunity: By planning thoughtfully and adapting proactively, we can focus our resources where they have the greatest impact and build a strong, sustainable future for Durango’s students.

Future-Ready DSD is a community awareness and engagement initiative designed to help everyone understand the forces shaping public education, engage in meaningful conversations about the future of our schools, and participate in thoughtful long-range planning.

How do we prepare for the next generation?

1. Share a vision

After six months of community conversations, 36 meetings, and input from more than 6,800 students, staff, families, and community members, Durango School District adopted Portrait of a Graduate in 2022. It serves as our shared vision – and our north star – for preparing students for life beyond school. The qualities our community identified as most important for success in an ever-changing world continue to guide our students – and can guide us as we plan for the future of our schools.

2. Live our values

Resilient Risk-Taker: Future-ready communities face challenges with optimism and perseverance.
Empathetic Collaborator: Future-ready communities seek understanding and work together toward shared goals.
Agile Thinker: Future-ready communities adapt to changing realities while staying focused on students.
Creative Problem-Solver: Future-ready communities explore innovative solutions to complex challenges.
Confident Communicator: Future-ready communities engage in honest, respectful, and transparent dialogue.
Courageous Leader: Future-ready communities make thoughtful decisions that serve current and future generations.

3. Come together

Just as we came together in 2021-22 to create the Portrait of a Graduate vision for our youth, our community can come together again to shape the future of our schools. Parents, staff, taxpayers, alumni, retirees, business owners, and students... the future of Durango School District belongs to all of us.

Why are we having this conversation?

Durango School District is experiencing many of the same challenges affecting school districts all across Colorado and the nation. Understanding these trends helps us plan responsibly for the future while maintaining our commitment to students.

Future Ready infographic on five factors facing our district

Accessible version of: 5 Factors Shaping Our Future

Sources: CDE* | Realtor.com | CDPHE | DSD Budget | DSD Facilities
* This data does not include Colorado Connection Academy, Shared School, or The Juniper School

How are we responding to these challenges?

We are exploring a range of strategies and solutions to build a stronger, more sustainable, and future-ready school district.

6 Planning Tools for Future-Ready Schools infographic

Accessible version of: 6 Planning Tools for Future-Ready Schools

When will changes happen?

Future-Ready DSD is a multi-year planning process. While specific outcomes have not been determined, this timeline shows how we will engage our community, analyze data, and plan for the future.

Accessible version of: Future-Ready DSD Planning Timeline

What does success look like?

Success means ensuring every student has access to high-quality learning opportunities, strong programs, safe and sustainable facilities, and the resources needed to thrive – both today and in the future. Future-Ready DSD is about thoughtfully planning for the next generation while honoring the communities that make our district strong.

5 ways students benefit when we adapt thoughtfully to change

Accessible version of: 6 Ways Students Benefit When We Adapt to Change Thoughtfully

How can I get involved?

The future of Durango School District belongs to all of us. As we explore opportunities, evaluate options, and plan for the years ahead, meaningful community engagement will remain an important part of the process. We are committed to sharing information, listening to diverse perspectives, and creating opportunities for everyone to learn, ask questions, and help shape the future of our schools.

Accessible version of: 5 Ways to Participate

1. SUBSCRIBE to Community Update, a weekly email newsletter

2. COMPLETE a Future-Ready Feedback Form

3. WATCH our collection of videos.

4. PARTICIPATE in a Board of Education meeting – attend, watch live, or speak

5. APPLY for a spot on the Long Range Planning Committee

Frequently Asked Questions

We understand that long-range planning, school facilities, enrollment trends, and potential future changes may raise questions for students, families, staff, and community members. This FAQ section is designed to provide clear, accurate, and up-to-date information as planning efforts continue.

Like many districts across the state and country, Durango School District is experiencing declining enrollment as people have fewer children and “age in place,” meaning there are fewer available homes in our district for young families. The district's enrollment has declined by 12% in the past decade, and this trend is expected to continue. Because school funding is largely based on the number of students we serve, fewer students means fewer resources and makes it harder to provide a thriving school experience for all students. Consolidation allows the district to use our resources more efficiently while continuing to provide strong academic programs and student support.

How will this affect my child's school?

We don’t know yet. Future-Ready DSD is about thoughtful long-range planning, and no districtwide plan for school changes has been determined. As enrollment, facilities, and community needs evolve, the district will continue evaluating how to best serve students across Durango. Any future proposals that could affect individual schools will be shared with staff, families, and the community, with opportunities to learn more and provide feedback.

How will consolidation impact student experience and support?

How will decisions be made about which schools to close?

How will class sizes be impacted?

What happens to students if their school closes?

Students who attend a school that closes will be reassigned to another school, and will also have the opportunity to apply for open enrollment at any district school if there is capacity. When assigning affected students to their new boundary schools, the district will prioritize:

Keeping students together with their classmates
Maintaining neighborhood connections
Efficient bus routes getting students to their new schools
Giving families time to explore their options, including school choice

Which schools are being considered for consolidation?

Beginning in April 2026, district leaders, the Board of Education, and community members have been in discussion regarding a recommendation to consolidate Sunnyside Elementary School. The district has recommended moving Sunnyside staff and students to the new Three Springs Elementary School when it opens in 2028-29. Learn more on this page. The Board has agreed that a decision on Sunnyside will be made no later than the Sept. 22, 2026 Regular Meeting.

How will staff be affected?

What will happen to closed-school buildings?

Could school closures lead to more students leaving the district and further enrollment decline?

How will the district continue to keep families, staff, and community members informed?

The following reports, presentations, and planning documents provide additional information about enrollment trends, facilities, long-range planning, and future considerations for Durango School District. These documents are currently under review by the Board of Education and no plan has been finalized.

Here are some key questions we're exploring together:

How can DSD provide the best possible educational experience for all students?
How should enrollment trends influence future planning?
What factors should guide decisions about facilities investments?
How can we preserve strong school communities while adapting to change?
How should district resources be allocated to maximize student opportunities?
What does a future-ready school district look like for the next generation?

DSD Long-Term Facility Replacement Plan: Key Takeaways

The Durango School District's Long Range Planning Committee studied enrollment trends, facility needs, and long-term costs to help guide future decisions about schools. The report concludes that declining enrollment, aging buildings, and changing population patterns will require the district to adapt over time.

Key recommendations include:

Complete Three Springs Elementary and preserve room for future growth.
Begin districtwide boundary reviews to better balance enrollment.
Move forward with planning for a Sunnyside Elementary consolidation.
Continue evaluating future consolidation options at Animas Valley and Fort Lewis Mesa if enrollment declines continue.
Prioritize Durango High School and Escalante Middle School as the district's highest long-term facility replacement needs.

The committee recommends a flexible, data-driven approach that combines facility planning, boundary adjustments, and possible school consolidations rather than relying on any single strategy. Community engagement, transparency, and regular review of enrollment and demographic trends are emphasized throughout the report.

Read the full report here.

Long-Term Facility Planning Action Plan: Key Takeaways

This document outlines how Durango School District could carry out the recommendations from the Long Range Planning Committee over the next several years. It provides a roadmap for community engagement, boundary adjustments, school consolidation decisions, and future facility planning.

Key milestones include:

A Board decision on Sunnyside Elementary consolidation is targeted for September 2026.
A districtwide boundary study would take place during 2027, with potential boundary changes adopted later that year.
Three Springs Elementary is scheduled to open in fall 2028.
If approved, Sunnyside Elementary would consolidate when Three Springs opens in fall 2028.
Additional consolidation reviews for Animas Valley, Fort Lewis Mesa, and possibly other schools would occur between 2028 and 2030.
Planning for future bond projects could begin leading up to a potential bond measure in 2032.

The plan emphasizes extensive community engagement, including webpages, FAQs, surveys, public meetings, and opportunities for feedback throughout the process. It also calls for annual reviews of enrollment trends, facility conditions, and financial data to ensure future decisions remain flexible and responsive to changing conditions.

The overall goal is to balance educational opportunities, facility needs, enrollment trends, and long-term financial sustainability while providing clear information and engagement opportunities for the community.

Read the full report here

Long-Range Planning Committee Board of Education Presentation (August 2026): Key Takeaways

This presentation summarizes the Long Range Planning Committee's recommendations for addressing aging facilities, declining enrollment, school boundaries, and long-term sustainability. The committee emphasizes that future decisions should be guided by data, community input, and flexibility rather than a fixed schedule.

Key findings include:

Several district facilities are aging and will eventually require major investment or replacement.
Enrollment growth is uneven across the district, creating imbalances that can affect staffing, programming, and educational opportunities.
School replacement, consolidation, and boundary decisions must be considered together rather than separately.

The committee identified:

Durango High School and Escalante Middle School as the district's highest long-term replacement priorities.
Sunnyside Elementary as the most viable consolidation candidate, followed by Animas Valley and Fort Lewis Mesa, based on enrollment trends and operational factors.

The committee recommends a Hybrid Strategy that balances facility needs, enrollment trends, operational sustainability, boundary adjustments, and future flexibility. Near-term priorities include completing Three Springs Elementary, conducting a districtwide boundary study, and formally considering Sunnyside Elementary consolidation.

The presentation also calls for ongoing community engagement through surveys, public meetings, FAQs, regular updates, and transparent communication as future decisions are considered.

Read the full report: Long Range Planning Committee: School Replacement, Consolidation, and Boundary Planning Framework

Sunnyside Community Forum Presentation (April 27, 2026)

Approximately 160 people attended the Community Forum at Sunnyside Elementary School on April 27, 2026, to discuss the district's recommendation on consolidation. The event was created by the Board of Education to hear community perspectives, understand potential impacts, and solicit input that will help inform their decision. There were 42 speakers, and they were unanimous in their opposition to the consolidation.

View the presentation here.