Understanding Colorado School Finance
09 Calculations for State Shares of Local Total Program Funding
Projected Fiscal Year 2008-09 Funding Summary
Comparison of Salaries and Benefits 2006-07
2007 Ranking of Per Pupil Salaries and Benefits
Elizabeth C-1:
42nd out of 179 Colorado districts in overall size
48th out of 123 Colorado districts in debt burden (excluding Charter School debt)
158th out of 179 Colorado districts in per-pupil salaries and benefits
1 response so far ↓
1 brooksy // Aug 29, 2008 at 8:43 am
http://elbertcounty.net/blog/2008/08/28/mil-levy-weasel-words/
Elbert County Sun reported 8/28/2008:
“Where requests for mill levy overrides have been turned down for being too broad and non-specific in the past, the school board has this time specified its needs and is committing to spend 86 percent of the mill levy override on raising salaries to a competitive level; 10 percent to provide students with additional curriculum and instruction…and 4 percent to upgrade technology and computer applications[.]”
Ballot text:
* “86% will be used for retaining and attracting high quality teachers, counselors and support staff.”(not a word about raising salaries)
* “10% will be used for providing students with the curriculum and instruction necessary for success in college and the workplace; and” (not a word about “additional” curriculum and instruction)
* “4% will be used for upgrading technology and computer applications to promote student success in the 21st century[.]”
The Ballot text will control the C-1 Board’s future spending discretion, not the intent. While binding terms were used to describe how the board would direct future spending of the mil levy funds, those key binding terms were omitted from the ballot language. 96% of the future spending discretion of the mil levy funds will be controlled by ballot language that is vague, arguable, and subject to corruption.