2026 01 21 Budget One Sheet.pdf (734 KB)

BVSD Budget Considerations

Now you see it ... Now you don’t

Don’t be part of a $200 Million SOT Shellgame School districts, including the Boulder Valley School District, cannot afford the sleight of hand currently being considered as Colorado looks to close its $850 million budget shortfall. Shifting more Specific Ownership Taxes (vehicle taxes) into the local share of the school finance formula is essentially a shell game. Instead of having an honest conversation about reducing PK-12 funding, the legislature is considering a stealth budget reduction that places a disproportionate burden on districts. •

SOT is not extra money just waiting for the state to use. It is already budgeted by school districts for ongoing programming and personnel In BVSD, we count on it for about $6.8 Million or 50 teachers

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A cut is a cut. Similar to last year’s “zero averaging” proposal, this simply shifts the burden of the statewide budget problems onto districts. It isn’t honest, transparent or trackable

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There is NO scenario in which this proposal results in more money for any district. The only entity that benefits is the state budget, not Colorado/BVSD students

Doing this would heighten the inequities that currently exist within Colorado’s school funding system. Plus, it punishes school districts, like BVSD, where voters have stepped up to address lagging state funding through bonds and mill levy overrides. We recognize the difficulty faced by lawmakers. Closing a $850 million budget shortfall is extremely challenging, but it shouldn’t be done on the backs of our students through technical sleight of hand.