Supt. Tom Boasberg

Each January, DPS presents a State of the Budget update to our Board of Education that provides updates on anticipated changes in education funding and how we are prioritizing limited resources.

 

Our north star in prioritizing taxpayer dollars is to ensure our funding decisions align with the Denver Plan 2020 and our  Shared Core Values, led by Students First. Our budget philosophy is clear: We believe that those closest to our children -- our teachers, school leaders and communities -- know how best to spend their dollars to meet their kids' needs, and they should have the flexibility to do so.

 

That's particularly challenging in an environment where Colorado's education funding is already among the lowest in the country. Education funding is based largely on per-pupil funding we receive from the state, and   Education Week's Quality Counts 2017 report found that Colorado spends $2,685 less per student than the national average. Given Colorado's vibrant economy, our lack of investment in our schools is not a result of economic factors; rather, it is a political problem that we must work together to solve.

 

In addition, lower birth rates and rising housing costs have resulted in a decline in the number of school-aged children in Denver. This means DPS is expected this fall to see our first enrollment decline since 2004, ending a period of rapid growth that produced a 32% increase in students.

 

Facing these budget decreases, this year's budget again prioritizes increasing dollars and resources in our schools -- where they matter most. While 96% of our funding goes directly to schools or school supports, DPS will continue to cut district-level costs. We are reducing between 40 and 50 district-level positions for 2018-19, following a reduction of more than 150 district-level positions in 2016-17.

 

At the same time, we are focused on Students First by increasing funding and positions in our schools. The reductions in district-level dollars and positions will be offset by increases in school-based funding and jobs, including funding for all elementary schools to hire a full-time social worker or psychologist to support the social and emotional needs of our students.

 

In addition, all schools will receive an additional 5% increase in per-pupil funding to cover salary increases for teachers, and schools with the highest concentrations of students in poverty will receive additional increases.