Boulder Valley School District 2025 Student Enrollment Survey

Magellan Strategies is pleased to present the topline results of an online survey of 1,995 parents of children in 5th Grade or younger within the Boulder Valley School District boundaries. The survey was available in English and Spanish. The interviews were conducted from September 5th to 19th, 2023.

Parents in the Boulder Valley School District indicated strong overall intent to enroll their young children in district schools, with a clear majority planning to do so and only a small share saying they would not. Among those intending to enroll, most preferred their local neighborhood school, while a smaller portion considered open enrollment at another district school or remained undecided. These results suggested generally strong demand for BVSD schools, with some openness to choice within the system. 

Awareness of the district’s academic choice programs was generally limited, particularly among parents of younger children. As shown in the table on page 3, fewer than four in ten were familiar with the most recognized program, bilingual education, while awareness of most other programs—such as Montessori, STEAM, and International Baccalaureate—was significantly lower. Many parents reported being not familiar at all with several offerings, indicating a substantial opportunity to improve communication and outreach.

Despite relatively low awareness, interest in these programs increased once parents learned about them. As illustrated on page 4, majorities said they would consider enrolling their child in most programs, including STEAM, gifted and talented, bilingual education, and Montessori. Only small shares said these programs would make them less likely to enroll, suggesting that program offerings broadly aligned with parent preferences when clearly explained.

Enrollment patterns showed that most students were already attending BVSD schools, with a smaller portion enrolled elsewhere or homeschooled. Among those in BVSD, a majority attended their neighborhood school, while a sizable minority chose to open-enroll in another school. Convenience and proximity were the most common reasons for choosing a neighborhood school, along with positive perceptions of teachers and a general preference for supporting local schools, as indicated on page 6.

Parents who chose to open-enroll their children cited a range of factors related to fit and opportunity. The most common reasons included connections with friends or family, smaller class sizes, and the ability to better meet unique academic needs. Others pointed to differences in school values or perceptions of safety. These findings indicated that open enrollment was often driven by a search for more tailored educational experiences rather than dissatisfaction alone.

Among parents with children currently in school, familiarity with academic programs was somewhat higher but still limited overall. As shown on page 7, bilingual education and virtual learning had the highest levels of awareness, while most other programs remained unfamiliar to a majority of parents. This pattern reinforced the earlier finding that awareness gaps persisted even among more engaged families.

When evaluating program appeal among parents with children in school, most academic offerings generated strong consideration. As detailed on pages 8 and 9, STEAM, gifted and talented, and International Baccalaureate programs were particularly well received, with large majorities saying they would consider them. In contrast, virtual programs stood out as less attractive, with a significant share indicating they would be less likely to enroll their child in such options.

Finally, when asked about potential future program offerings, parents expressed the strongest interest in STEM, expeditionary learning, world language, and gifted and talented programs. As shown on page 10, these options were most likely to influence families to consider open enrollment. Alternative scheduling models, such as year-round or four-day school weeks, were less appealing and more likely to reduce interest. Overall, the survey showed strong demand for BVSD schools, significant interest in diverse academic programming, and a clear need for improved communication to ensure families are aware of available options.