The Colorado Department of Education records 883,199 public school students enrolled for the 2020-2021 academic year. Those students attend one of the 178 districts in the state, most of which are considered rural. In fact, 88 districts have fewer than 500 students. There are approximately 1,914 public schools in the state.

Many families choose alternative school options in Colorado. With 45 districts in the state allowing charter schools, Colorado boasts 260 charter schools with 126,947 students. The state also has 106 innovation schools that serve 49,621 students and 49 online schools with 21,863 students. In 2020, Colorado had 451 private schools with 51,271 students.