As Mesa County Democrats, we do support our community schools, quality education, and our school board’s efforts in working to improve education outcomes with our students!
We are in agreement with the Daily Sentinel. The school district is us. These are our schools. We are responsible for providing the best public education possible for all students in our community.
Attracting new businesses and creating new jobs is a top community priority. Can our community be satisfied with inadequate funding for education but still expect to attract these businesses who can create these new jobs?
Mesa County Democrats support the school district ballot issue in November that will directly benefit our students and community in the valley. We ask that all citizens in our community join us in supporting the increased funding to Mesa County School District 51 in the November election.
We applaud Mesa County School District 51 for choosing how to use the money they are asking for because it directly impact students and learning:
- Restore classroom teaching positions
- Restore instructional days lost
- Provide equitable access to technology education
- Prepare for future shortfalls from state funding
Did you know the following?
- Colorado ranks 40th in K-12 funds per student.
- Colorado has 178 public school districts; District 51 is #178 in per pupil funding. District 51 receives the lowest per pupil funding in the state of Colorado as the result of the state school finance formula.
- Public school funding is based on the school finance formula, not local property tax revenue generated like many community members believe. Once the amount is determined by the school finance formula, the local community contributes what it has available through property taxes, etc. Then the state backfills in the missing amount. When it can’t fully backfill that amount, it changes the per pupil funding and reduces the state’s obligation.
- Montrose per pupil student funding is close to $400 more than that in our Mesa County School District 51. Their guaranteed funding would be more than $7 million greater than Mesa County School District 51 if we had the same number of students. How many teachers/instructional aides would that fund? Class size directly impacts access to help and support when developing basic skills.
- You can understand why the current LOBATO lawsuit dealing with inequity in local district funding was filed in Colorado and is being heard now. Huge funding inequities exist between school districts within the state. The central claim of the lawsuit is that Colorado’s school finance system doesn’t meet the “thorough and uniform” education requirements of the state constitution.
- District 51 has been forced by the state to slash its budget by $28.6 million in the past couple of years. It faces a potential $8 million cut in the future. This loss of funding has already translated into losing 83 teaching positions (licensed and aides), 72 administrative positions, etc.
- Technology skills are essential for today’s jobs as well as future jobs. District 51 is making a commitment to provide equitable student access and improve instructional quality across the district with additional mill levy revenue.
- District 51 is already by law committed to funding an election this fall for two of its school board seats. As a result, putting something on the ballot regarding additional school funding will not require additional expenditures by the school district.
Take the time to visit one of our community schools and see what challenges they are facing! Then join Mesa County Democrats and support your local community!
