Superintendent Tracy Dorland conveyed a stark warning to the Jeffco Public Schools Board of Education last year, highlighting the potential impact of impending budget cuts. “They will mean people — employees that we care about and rely on us,” she expressed during a June 2024 meeting, referring to the difficult decisions that lie ahead for the school district.
The financial challenges facing Colorado’s second-largest school district have been building for years and are now compounded by potential cuts to K-12 education funding at both state and federal levels. As part of their financial strategy, Jeffco Public Schools officials will begin informing employees in mid-December regarding their job statuses for the upcoming school year. It is anticipated that a minimum of 150 full-time positions will be eliminated as part of an effort to achieve $45 million in budget reductions. This was detailed in a presentation to the school board on November 13.
Furthermore, the district is looking towards a $15 million mill-levy override, which they plan to put on the ballot for November 2026, to increase revenue through property tax increases. Former school board member Susan Miller emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, “Staff layoffs are going to be significant. We just can’t afford it.”
Currently, the district is grappling with a troubling financial scenario, having exceeded its funding in at least two of the last three fiscal years. With an expected $39 million deficit looming for the 2025-26 year, administrators have been forced to dip into reserve funds to maintain a balanced budget, which amounts to nearly $1 billion. Miller pointed out that previous school boards, including her own, didn’t react swiftly enough to declining enrollment and continued to approve raises for teachers despite the financial strain.
Efforts to streamline budgets could result in reducing department expenses, particularly in general administration and transportation, totaling between $26 million and $27 million. Dorland indicated that the district will aim to minimize layoffs through retirements and staff turnover, but individual school budgets will also face cuts, potentially impacting staffing at those institutions.
In a proactive move, Jeffco Public Schools has initiated budget labs to gather input from families and staff on potential budget changes, including increased fees and transportation route consolidation. Dorland remarked on the difficulty of operating on a constrained budget: “Living within the means of a shoestring budget is not a place you want to be, yet here we are.”
This financial crisis has been indicative of a broader issue in Colorado, as school districts grapple with dwindling enrollment numbers. Jeffco’s student enrollment has dropped nearly 13% since 2014, a trend that reflects a larger decline in the school-aged population across the state.
As the district faces these challenges, it is becoming clear that many K-12 systems will continue to confront similar struggles. As Dorland stated, addressing the deficit is essential in order to preserve financial reserves for the future. Teacher compensation constitutes about 84% of the district’s expenses, yet Brooke Williams, the president of the Jefferson County Education Association, countered that the pressing issue is how schools in Colorado are funded, emphasizing the need for a mill levy that correlates with inflation to ensure educators receive decent wages.
As districts throughout metro Denver experience similar financial pressures, including layoffs and budget constraints, the situation underscores the urgent necessity for a collaborative approach to finding solutions for sustainable funding in education. The hope remains that through effective budget management and community engagement, Jeffco Public Schools can navigate these turbulent times.