As Colorado's economy continues to thrive, the contrast between our economic growth as a state and our continued cuts to our public education system grows more stark. We are grateful for the fact that we have one of the strongest and fastest-growing economies in the country. Yet, we continue to be among the bottom 10 states in the country in our investment in K-12 education.
This is a political problem, not an economic one, and we need to address it.
Currently in Colorado, we fund our schools at a level $2,500 per student below the national average. This has enormous consequences on critical matters such as class sizes, student opportunities and competitive compensation for our educators in a city that grows more expensive by the month.
As the state legislature comes near the end of its session, education funding in the school finance bill the legislature is considering will again not keep pace with inflation, resulting in another cut in real dollars for our schools. DPS receives roughly $1,000 less today than what we would have received had funding over the last seven years just kept up with inflation, a budget cut known as the "negative factor."
We are strongly urging the legislature to take immediate steps to restore school funding and to take the necessary long-term steps to address the legal constraints on state revenues, including the state's TABOR and Gallagher amendments and its Hospital Provider Fee mechanism. All of these provisions combine to mean that Colorado will be giving taxpayers refunds at the same time it maintains the "negative factor" budget cuts to schools.
Within this context, the DPS Board of Education reviewed earlier this week our proposed
2017-18 budget. The budget continues its efforts to push more money to schools and increase flexibility at the school level to meet the individual needs of each school. Spending at the central level for functions like technology support, budget and human resources will decrease from 5% to 4% of the district's budget, which is one of the lowest proportions for central spend of any city in the country.
Thanks to the 2016 mill levy, more than $30 million additional dollars will be allocated to schools next year for resources such as expanded
whole child supports and increased funding for our highest-need students. We are grateful to Denver's voters for providing this funding.
Nevertheless, it will take all of us coming together to generate the public and political support to make the long-term changes our state needs.
