2023 Handbook on K-12 Policy Issues for Colorado School Board Members
- October 16, 2023
Five of Colorado’s nine largest school districts have placed property tax hikes on the fall 2012 ballot. Over the past decade all five of the tax-proposing school districts have significantly grown spending on “current” operating costs. From 2005 to 2010, median household incomes in all five counties covered by the five districts fell short of per-pupil school tax revenues. Asking voters to increase property taxes this year may not be an easy task.
READ MORENearly 50 Colorado online education leaders (including school district and charter school staff) and policy experts gathered Monday, January 23, 2012, to help craft a roadmap of digital learning policy priorities for the state. Participants worked together to help identify Colorado’s leading digital learning policy priorities in three major categories: Access and Eligibility, Funding, and Assessment and Accountability. Given a list of policy options that included Digital Learning Now’s recommendations, participants selected those they saw as the most important for Colorado to pursue in the near term and to offer additional ideas or suggestions. According to many of the state’s online leaders, the following policy changes would enhance opportunities for Colorado’s children to achieve educational success.
READ MOREOf Colorado’s 178 school districts, 41 have a formal bargaining relationship with one or more employee unions. Because Colorado has no defined public-sector labor law, the greatest opportunity to reform restrictive policies and interest group privileges comes at the school board level. Opportunity awaits local education leaders to enhance flexibility, fairness and fiscal responsibility at the bargaining table.
READ MOREThis concise issue brief on K-12 education is part of the comprehensive Citizens’ Budget. The report lays out a road map for Colorado policy makers to implement policies that would close next year’s billion-dollar budget problem and establish a sustainable trend line for balanced budgets into the future, with no increase in taxes or fees. This section explores how Colorado’s current K-12 school funding system works and offers ideas for savings, including a tax credit program to offset private school tuition costs.
READ MOREForty-two of Colorado’s 178 school districts bargain exclusively with a local teachers union. Often conducted by tax-funded district employees on both sides, negotiations forge policies that determine the use of taxpayer dollars. Yet only one of the 42 districts has an established policy that thoroughly ensures the public’s right to observe bargaining negotiations.
READ MOREJeffco Public Schools has become a national leader among school districts by creating a top-notch financial transparency database. Colorado lawmakers have introduced two new transparency bills in 2010. As proposals are debated and initiatives implemented and upgraded, both state and local policy makers can benefit by understanding the criteria of effective financial transparency.
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