“The measures allow the community to decide if it wants to put more of its local tax dollars toward specific local projects and programs outlined in the ballot questions.”
Despite having award winning students, schools and programs, 27J Schools remains at the bottom of the stack of school funding. In fact, 27J has the third-lowest funding per student in the state.
At its Aug. 24 meeting, the 27J Board of Education discussed these financial realities and the state of the district’s enrollment growth.
Because the district’s budget is so much smaller than virtually all other Colorado districts, teachers’ salaries have fallen far short of what is offered by neighboring districts—27J teachers make about $10,000 less every year than their peers.
The lack of comparable funding has also resulted in students not getting into the STEM/Career and Technical courses they want because there’s not enough space, teachers or resources to accommodate the demand. These courses are popular because students can earn STEM industry certifications. Some also grant college credits while in high school, because the courses meet college requirements.
The board also studied enrollment data and growth areas in the district. Many schools are at or over capacity levels causing safety concerns and less effective learning space.
The board decided to go to the community to help resolve these problems. At its meeting, the board voted unanimously to put a mill levy override and a bond issue on the Nov. 2 ballot. The measures allow the community to decide if it wants to put more of its local tax dollars toward specific local projects and programs outlined in the ballot questions.