2 - Town of Colchester

School Enrollment Ratios
Year Town State
1970 27% 22%
1980 20% 17%
1990 17% 14%
2000 22% 16%
2010 25% n/a
2020 22% n/a
Projections in italics
School Sites
While the Plan recognizes
that Colchester will need
additional school facilities in
the near future, it does not
make recommendations with
regard to specific sites.
Such a decision will need to
be made by the community
once overall school
organization
and
configuration issues (such as
community versus
neighborhood schools or
such as different grade
groupings) are decided.
However, since enrollments
will soon exceed capacity,
the time for making those
decisions is imminent.
Implementation
See the implementation chart
on pages 123-4 for the
priority and the assignment of
responsibility
for
implementation of these
community facility strategies.
Projections indicate that additional classroom space will be needed at most grade levels in the very near future.
Discussions have centered around a new K-2 school with Jackter becoming a grade 3-5 school. While modular
classrooms may be able to accommodate some of the enrollment increase, the projected increase is expected to persist for
some time.
Colchester's enrollment ratio (pupils/population) declined from 1970 to 1990 and is now increasing again due to the
“baby boom echo.” If the enrollment ratio peaks around the year 2010 at 25 percent, Colchester’s school system may
need enrollment capacity for about 3,800 students. The enrollment peak in this scenario is 50 percent higher than current
enrollments and cannot be accommodated by existing buildings. Such enrollments will best be met by physical
construction of permanent classrooms or addition of another school facility.
In the longer term, additional school capacity will be required. If Colchester becomes a community of about 40,000
people, the school system may need to educate between 7,000 and 10,000 students. Desirable future school sites should
be identified and acquired as soon as possible.
PROGRAM
There are a number of issues related to community facilities that can be directly related to the growth of the community.
It is reasonable to expect that community growth will increase the need for community facilities and the challenge will be
to prioritize and phase these improvements over time.
An issue that the community will need to address is the concentration of community facilities in Colchester. While the
historic concentration of facilities in the Town Center is appropriate due to the availability of water and sewer, it
contributes to traffic congestion and leaves large areas of Colchester remotely located relative to these facilities.
COMMUNITY FACILITY STRATEGIES
Address Current Needs
1. Plan for school expansion or new construction during the planning period.
2. Acquire adequate sites for the school expansion or construction to accommodate future enrollment increases.
3. Expand the library.
4. Establish a Planning Committee for a community/aquatics center (recreation, senior center, teen center).
5. Expand the finished floor space in the Town Hall by completing the third floor.
6. Consider expanding dial-a-ride and other transportation services for community needs.
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