Colorado public educators are being asked to do more now than ever before, and our schools need the funding to serve students and families at the level they expect and deserve.<\/p>\n
For nearly 15 years, the state balanced the budget on the back of public education. Recently, we\u2019ve made significant progress in reversing that trend with the elimination of the budget stabilization factor, increased funding for rural schools, and the creation of a new school finance act.<\/p>\n
Gov. Jared Polis\u2019s proposal to eliminate averaging funding and related proposals on declining enrollment would slash up to $150 million from school district budgets and immediately reverse the important progress Colorado has made in supporting public education. We can\u2019t afford to go backward.<\/p>\n
Cuts of this magnitude stand to negatively impact approximately two-thirds of Colorado school districts. It would mean things like teacher layoffs, increased class sizes, reduction in counseling and mental health support for students, less money to keep schools safe, and decreased programs for students. For many communities, it would be nothing short of catastrophic.<\/p>\n