Title: Dollars and Data: A Look at K-12 Education Funding in Colorado | Common Sense Institute
Headings: Dollars and Data: A Look at K-12 Education Funding in Colorado
Dollars and Data: A Look at K-12 Education Funding in Colorado
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Here are some of the key findings from this study.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
METHODOLOGY
STATE CONTEXT
SCHOOL FINANCE ACT
SCHOOL FINANCE FUNDING SUMMARY
STUDENT POPULATION TRENDS
TRENDS IN EDUCATION REVENUE
LOCAL FUNDING
TAX TERMS
TRENDS IN EDUCATION SPENDING
INSTRUCTION AND SUPPORT EXPENDITURES
EXPENDITURE EXAMPLES
TRENDS IN TEACHER SALARIES AND TURNOVER
TEACHER SALARIES
ADMINISTRATOR SALARIES
TEACHER TURNOVER
TEACHER SALARY AND TURNOVER SUMMARY
CONCLUSION
APPENDIX A: LIST OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS BY REGION
APPENDIX B: PER PUPIL REVENUES BY SCHOOL DISTRICT, 2017
APPENDIX C: MILL LEVY OVERRIDES BY SCHOOL DISTRICT, 2017
APPENDIX D: PER PUPIL EXPENDITURES BY SCHOOL DISTRICT, 2017

Content: This extra layer of funding outside of the statutory formula adds to the inequities in local revenues as some communities have a more difficult time shouldering extra taxes or persuading voters to do so. An example of the resulting disparities in revenues is that, in 2016-17, Aspen School District received $25,567 per pupil in local, state and federal revenues compared with neighboring Lake County, which received $13,687 in per pupil revenue. Because of the drastic differences in funding and demographics, the national nonprofit EdBuild has identified the Aspen/Lake County border as one of the most “divisive borders” in the country.2
There is a subtle, but impactful, downward trend in the share of dollars going to instructional staff. From 2007 to 2017, the share of spending allocated to instructional salaries declined by 3.5 percentage points. This salary data covers all instructional positions, including reading and math interventionists, paraprofessionals, nurses, psychologists, speech pathologists and others working with students along with teachers. At the same time, spending on benefits increased by 1.5 percentage points, largely due to the doubling of annual PERA payments needed to cover the growing unfunded liability. Spending on administrative functions, student support services, and operations also increased as a share during this time. Looking at teacher salaries in more depth reveals that average salaries vary dramatically around the state and within the Metro Denver region. At a regional level, urban and suburban salaries are outpacing rural salaries even as the cost of living in the rural areas is also increasing. For instance, in 2017 the average salary for the Metro region was $56,621, which is 39 percent greater than the Southeast region’s average salary of $38,157.