In this blog site, I discuss a variety of timely issues and provide information that I hope will be helpful to BVSD staff, parents, students, and community members. Your comments are welcomed!
Showing posts with label funding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label funding. Show all posts

Monday, January 30, 2017

Development of the 2017-18 budget underway

BVSD leadership is presently working with the Board of Education on a budget for the 2017-18 school year. Budget development in BVSD involves multiple decision points throughout the process. Funds made available through the operational mill levy approved by voters in November 2016, will provide relief in our continuing effort to maintain quality services and address the needs of students. BVSD is very fortunate to have the ongoing support of voters in our community.

The 2016-17 budget adopted in June had $6M of programs, services and expenditures that were funded by one-time resources necessitating reductions to programs and services next year if additional resources were not made available. Revenue from the operational levy have provided those resources and will allow BVSD to maintain current programs/services and provide some additional resource allocations such as school staffing, transportation funding and textbooks.

The main goals we seek to achieve with additional revenues provided by the operational mill levy are to:
  • Maintain present level of educational services,
  • Invest in preventative maintenance for buildings and equipment,
  • Replace out-of-date textbooks and learning materials,
  • Fund compensation and benefits for all employees,
  • Provide training for staff, and
  • Employ educators to meet student needs.

The Boulder Valley Board of Education is discussing other budget priorities in a series of special work sessions over the next few months.


Community input is welcome during Public Participation at the beginning of regular board meetings. Interested parties are also welcome to attend board work sessions to listen to the discussions. We strive to have budget priorities established by spring break when staffing allocations will be made to schools and staffing plans are developed for 2017-18.  

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

BVSD Ballot Measure 3A - Operational Levy

Thank you to voters for passing the Operational Levy for Boulder Valley School District. I appreciate the high level of support from the community.

Ballot Measure 3A approved by voters establishes an operational mill levy which will fund a portion of the $33.4 million in present ongoing maintenance, custodial, security, and technology expenditures. Resources from the levy will allow investment for ongoing preventative maintenance and repairs to extend facility life.

General fund resources freed up by the operational levy will be available to support the following services:
·         Maintain present level of educational services.
·         Invest in preventative maintenance for buildings and equipment.
·         Replace out-of-date textbooks and learning materials.
·         Fund compensation and benefits for all employees.
·         Provide training for staff.
·         Employ educators to meet student needs.

Initially the levy will generate $10 million dollars a year. The Board of Education has authority to increase the levy to 4 mills in future years which would provide more than $25 million dollars a year for district investment in services.

I appreciate voters approving this much-needed financial support for BVSD students. Resources from the levy will be used to offset inadequate funding provided by the state legislature.


Additional information is available at BVSD.org  

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

November 2016 Election Information

Election ballots were delivered through US mail last week. Ballot Measure 3A operational levy for BVSD is on the November 2016 ballot. I encourage you to study the proposed levy and vote in the upcoming election. Nov. 8 (by 7 p.m.) is the last day to vote or drop off a ballot.

A lot has changed in Colorado since the last presidential election. Here’s what you need to know to vote in this election:
      Check your voter registration as all active voters are sent a ballot in the mail! Make sure your address is current. This is especially important if you have moved in the last year or if you haven’t voted for a few years. Check online at govotecolorado.com.
      Track your mail ballot. If you live in Boulder County, you can sign up for Ballot Track to receive messages by email, text, or phone when your mail ballot has been printed, mailed, and received back by Boulder County Elections during election periods.
      In person voting is available. If you prefer to vote in person, a list of Voter Service and Polling Centers will be included in your mail ballot packet.
      Vote early! Once you decide how to vote, return your mail ballot. Voting early helps reduce campaign phone calls for you and helps the county process ballots throughout the election period rather than just on one night. Note that no votes are tabulated before election night.

For more voter and election information, visit the following websites:


2016 Election Dates
October 17
Ballots mailed to voters
October 24
Voter Service Centers open (you can visit these locations if you would like to vote in person)
October 31
Last day to register and still receive a ballot in the mail (otherwise you need to vote in person)
November 8
Election Day - Last day to vote or drop off ballot (by 7 p.m.)



Monday, February 29, 2016

Introducing the 2016 Annual Report

The 2016 BVSD Annual Report is being emailed this week to all students, families and staff. The report provides a glimpse of district goals, priorities, financial standing and vision for student success. 
The BVSD Board of Education, administration, educators, staff and parents in every school are vital to the success of all students. The strategic plan, called the Success Effect, is based on three principles: learning, talent and partnerships. The intrinsic objective of the Success Effect is to achieve individual success for all students.

Our commitment to achieving student success will be accomplished by various means, one of those being innovation, achieved by building for student success funded by the bond approved in 2014. Educational innovation is at the core of our effort to improve existing schools as well as new construction projects. Sustainability and secure learning environments are also high priorities. Financial transparency is a fundamental component of the report and our standing with the community.  

BVSD vision, mission and goals will be realized through a commitment to community and family partnerships. We rely on these relationships to achieve student success.

I am hopeful that you find value in this year’s report, and I look forward to our continued success this semester.

Friday, January 1, 2016

Happy New Year!

Welcome back to the 2015-16 school year. I hope everyone had a restful and rejuvenating Winter Break.

As students return to school and begin second semester, school and district staff continue work on numerous initiatives supporting student success. Priority action plans are being implemented supporting the district strategic plan, The Success Effect. Phase one planning is well underway on the new bond construction and innovation work. The Board of Education and administration will begin developing the 2016-17 budget. Information describing the Colorado state student assessment will be distributed later this month.

The 2016 Colorado legislative session will begin January 13. This is an optimal time to work with legislators to secure adequate funding for public education. Underfunding public schools in Colorado is having a negative impact on schools, teachers and students throughout the state. BVSD has lost $175M since 2009 due to underfunding and the governor’s proposed budget will result in over $30M additional loss of funds.

If funding from the state had kept pace with inflation and enrollment growth since 2009, BVSD would be able to provide additional services for students including district-wide full-day kindergarten, implementing a comprehensive literacy program, and hiring more school counselors, nurses and teachers. For details, view this handout about The Cost of Education Student Services at BVSD.

Following are a few websites that provide information on organizations working on school funding and related issues.

  • Great Education Colorado - an excellent advocacy organization for parents and educators http://www.greateducation.org/
  • Colorado School Finance Project - BVSD is an active member of this organization. You can find a lot of information on this website and search TABOR on the site to find specific information. http://www.cosfp.org/
  • Colorado Fiscal Institute - another excellent resource and we will be asking them to provide a presentation to the BVSD community after the first of the year. http://www.coloradofiscal.org/
  • Colorado Futures Center at Colorado State University - provides vital research and analysis of public policies impacting Colorado’s future and quality of life. It has helpful information about TABOR. http://coloradofutures.colostate.edu/

I encourage all parents, students and staff to contact the governor and legislators to remind them of the importance of public education and encourage them to provide adequate funding. Legislators whose districts are wholly or partially within the boundaries of our school district are listed on the BVSD website. A full directory of members of the Colorado General Assembly is on the state’s website.

I’m looking forward to a great start for the new year!

Monday, September 28, 2015

School Funding Challenges and Opportunities in Colorado

The state Supreme Court delivered a disappointing decision on September 21 regarding the constitutional obligation of the State of Colorado to fund public education.  Dwyer v. State

This Sept. 22 Denver Post Editorial is correct in response to the Supreme Court decision regarding Amendment 23. The court determined the state is not legally obligated to recognize the negative factor, however, the legislature still has an obligation to honor the intent/spirit of Amendment 23 which included a cost of living increase plus enrollment each year. Since the legislature walked away from Amendment 23 in 2010, schools across Colorado have lost several billion dollars. Boulder Valley School District has lost over $175 million. The Colorado legislature has a constitutional obligation to fund public education in Colorado and they are significantly failing this responsibility.

Colorado superintendents gathered recently and made a commitment to seek a cost of living and enrollment increase for 2016-17 at a minimum. The governor's office has informally communicated that his proposed budget will not likely include adequate funds to provide for a cost of living increase and account for enrollment growth.

Educators and parents need to partner with all Colorado citizens and advocate for adequate funding for public education in Colorado. If the legislature maintains present budget priorities, this will not be possible. The legislature needs to adjust state budget priorities and fulfill their constitutional obligation to provide adequate funding for schools. We need to elect and support legislators who will make public education a priority.

The decision of the supreme court reminds us the solution for adequate funding for public education rests with the legislature and voters. Polling data consistently indicates that Colorado citizens value quality public education and they understand the future of Colorado is dependent on educating all youth. We need to embrace this opportunity and help educate legislators so they understand the value of quality schools and the challenges we face in our effort to meet the educational needs of all students. Boulder Valley School District will invite Boulder Valley legislators to visit schools this fall so they enter the 2016 session with a full understanding of what is needed in our schools.

We have many good stories to share with legislators and we plan to build on our strengths. If we are idle, the present inadequate funding level will be our "new normal" which will cripple public education for future generations. Colorado is a highly educated, wealthy, low-tax state. This is the time to develop a plan for the future and provide adequate funding for public schools.

Please engage your friends, neighbors and colleagues on this issue and encourage them to join us in this important work.


Chalkbeat Colorado - Sept. 24
Education leaders put on brave face in wake of Supreme Court ruling:
Some advocates vow to keep pushing for improved K-12 support

Denver Post (Guest Commentary) – Sept. 24
Let’s Go Back to School, Colorado

Denver Post (Editorial) - Sept. 22
Lawmakers still need to address Colorado education funding