Thousands of Colorado kids uncounted in state school data

Some 9,000 kids are uncounted in Colorado school data — roughly 1% of the state's school-aged children, our partners at Chalkbeat report.

Driving the news: The uncounted population includes kids who are likely learning in private institutions, being home-schooled or simply aren't attending.

• The report is based on a new analysis by the AP and Stanford University.

Why it matters: The number of uncounted kids shows the pandemic’s impact on education.

• Data shows enrollment in public schools across the country dropped by more than a million students when classes resumed in fall 2020, the largest single-year decline since World War II.

Zoom in: Kindergarten is voluntary in Colorado, leaving the state with more unaccounted kids compared to states where kindergarten is required, according to the analysis.

• Denver Public Schools — the state’s largest public school system — is facing budget shortfalls linked to years of declining enrollment.

Big picture: The analysis found about 230,000 students across 21 states are absent and couldn’t be accounted for.

Full story from Chalkbeat