Colorado’s graduation and dropout rates continue to improve while its overall enrollment continues to decline, according to new data released Tuesday morning.

The Colorado Department of Education released student graduation data from the 2024-25 school year, with the state’s four-year graduation rate increasing by 1.4 percentage points to 85.6% – the highest in more than a decade.

Since 2016, graduation rates increased from 78.9% to 85.6% in 2025, with 2021 being the only year the rate decreased.

The dropout rate also improved in spring 2025, declining by 0.3 percentage points to 1.6%, which is the lowest rate in the state’s history.

A total of 60,387 Colorado students graduated in four years in the 2024-25 school year, an increase of 2,069 students compared to the prior year. At the same time, 1,413 fewer students left school than the previous year.

Concurrent enrollment in local universities, expanded career pathways and greater opportunities for students to earn workforce credentials and college credits were cited as contributing factors for this progress.

Among the districts highlighted for their notable gains during a media briefing was D-2, which reported a graduation rate of 89.8% and a dropout rate of 0.7%.

Representatives from the district said that recent strategies and efforts to expand pathways and opportunities in high school led to the improved outcomes.

“In D-2, we believe students succeed when they are seen, heard, and supported,” said Superintendent Dr. Wendy Birhanzel in a statement to the Gazette.

“The steady rise in our graduation rate comes from a districtwide commitment to strong relationships, proactive academic and behavioral supports, restorative practices, and school climates that foster connection, safety and hope for every learner. This achievement belongs to our students, staff and families.” 

In Teller County, Cripple Creek-Victor RE-2 was also noted as a small rural district that had decreased its dropout rate by 1.7 percentage points to 1.8% in 2025.

Superintendent Dan Cummings called their progress “part of an ongoing trend” and referenced the district’s development of its CTE programming, pathways and internships over the past six years to prepare their students and communities for success.

“We’ve been meeting them where they’re at and understanding that traditional schools that are pushing just a college route aren’t necessarily for a lot of kids anymore,” he said.

“There are other valuable ways to have a career and contribute to society, and we’ve been acknowledging that and finding ways for kids to get to something that they want to be instead of dropping out to have a job.”

Enrollment declines continue

The same day, CDE reported a total of 870,793 pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade students enrolled in Colorado schools from its annual October count for the 2025-26 school year. The total marks a decrease of over 10,200 from fall 2024.

“Colorado continues to experience enrollment trends shaped by a declining school-aged population, increasing racial and ethnic diversity, and shifts toward part-time and online learning,” CDE Commissioner Dr. Susana Córdova said in a statement.

Among the trends contributing to these losses highlighted by the CDE include an increase in homeschooled students and online school enrollment, while data from the Colorado State Demography Office shows a declining number of births statewide across the last two decades and population declines in 30% of Colorado counties over the past 10 years.

CDE reported that, since 2022, online learners increased by 12.4% to over 34,600 students, while part-time homeschoolers grew by 51.2% to 18,740 and full-time homeschoolers increased by 19.5% to approximately 10,350.

The fall count also reported enrollment declines in nine of 13 grade levels, while enrollment increased by nearly 4,300 students in pre-kindergarten and fourth, sixth and 12th grades.

El Paso County shakeups

Despite the statewide and nationwide trends, some school districts in the Pikes Peak Region reported growth over the past year. Notably, Colorado Springs D-11, El Paso County’s third-largest district, reported an increase of over 1,000 students for a total enrollment of approximately 23,400. Widefield D-3 also reported slight gains from 2,292 during the 2024-25 school year to 2,347 for the current year.

The county’s two largest districts, D-49 and Academy D-20, reported enrollment drops of 226 and 98, respectively, over the past year, but overall growth over the past five years. D-49’s total of approximately 26,423 students marks a gain of over 2,400 students since the 2020-21 school year, while D-20 gained 760 for a total of over 26,471.

After D-49 surpassed D-20 last year for the largest student total in El Paso County, the two districts swapped rankings this year and are the 10^th– and 11th-largest in the state.

Other county districts to report growth over the past five years include D-3, Harrison D-2 and Miami-Yoder 60JT.