More money doesn't fix Jeffco's problems
46% of kids are NOT proficient in ELA/Reading, 55% not in Math. Some teachers have seen 56% to 76% raises in the last 8 years. We want more accountability, efficient use of money and better results. We're voting NO on Jeffco's MLOs.
NO to Jeffco's MLOs!
Because Jeffco Can Do Better
We believe in public education. Most of us are the product of public education, as are our own children. We also believe that Jeffco Schools can do better at educating our kids and managing the money the District receives from taxpayers. But Jeffco has lost our trust because of its continuing mediocre academic performance results, failure to keep promises related to the 2018 Mill Levy Override (MLO) and mismanagement of the 2018 Capital Improvement Program (bond). The 2018 MLO asked for $33 million per year. We gave it to them. Inflation has brought it to $40 million and it will continue to increase. They promised accountability, and now they can’t account for where that money goes, or how it improved education in Jeffco. For the bond, they asked for $567 million. They got $685 million due to the bond premium. They promised accountability, but spent nearly $40 million on schools that soon closed, over $65 million on tracks and fields and $10s of millions in cost overruns without adequately addressing HVAC systems and roofs.
Now they’re asking for even more money, a staggering $133 million per year, increasing with inflation. But why should we trust that things will be different this time? It’s clear that the school district needs to take definitive steps to restore our trust before we can support an increase in taxpayers’ funding.
Therefore, we are voting a resounding NO on both November MLO ballot measures and any future funding initiatives, until we are assured that our money will be well managed and measurably benefit students.
To restore trust and ensure strong accountability, we need to see the following:
Ballot Question 5A: $73 million Mill Levy Initiative (MLO)
- In 2025-26 the average Jeffco teacher salary was $84,392 (ranging from $56,085 to $112,403, not including Jeffco’s 21% contribution into the generous teacher retirement plan). Yet more than 46% of kids are NOT grade level proficient in ELA/Reading and more than 55% are NOT proficient in Math. Now, the School Board wants to use $55 million, or 87% of the District’s MLO share for compensation increases. $15 million will actually be used to plug the current budget deficit to pay for salary increases already awarded. The rest will be used for new 5% to 6% increases in compensation. Based on Jeffco’s poor academic results, this feels like an undeserved reward to us. We do not believe these increases will improve academic performance in any substantial way. Therefore, we would like to see a return to something similar to Jeffco’s innovative and nationally recognized 1999 “Performance Promise” MLO where teachers have some skin in the game and future pay raises are based on District level academic improvement.
- Further reduce operational costs through actions such as:
- Right-sizing the number of schools to ensure a full educational experience at all schools and reduce operational costs as enrollment continues to decline.
- Conducting a comprehensive review of the cost and effectiveness of the district’s Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) initiative to ensure students are getting what they need and what parents expect from it.
- Conducting a comprehensive review of the cost and effectiveness of Jeffco’s 1:1 tech program that allocates one computer to each student.
- Reexamining former Chief Student Success Officer Susan Leach’s (and possibly others) proposal to bring some Placed Out of District (POOD) special needs students back into the District, a potentially significant savings.
- Conduct a comprehensive review of uses of current Career and Technical Education (CTE) funding and needs, including looking at:
- What are high schools using their current $115,000/year Alternative Pathway allocation for?
- What is approximately $4M/year in 2018 MLO money earmarked for CTE funding being used for?
- What are the pros and cons of opening another Warren Tech campus, since the District says that there are 1,400 students on the schools’ waitlist?
Ballot Question 5B: $60 million Special Mill Levy Override (MLO) - Capital Needs
- Finalize the District’s Strategic Capital Plan to fully understand capital needs and priorities.
- Right-size the number of schools to reduce maintenance needs in the face of declining enrollment.
- Commit to addressing within 90 days all recommendations in the November 2021 Moss-Adams report, which found a number of aspects of the 2018 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) that were not being conducted according to best practices.
- Conduct a full Performance Audit on the 2018 CIP to identify what went right and what went wrong with the program so that lessons learned can be incorporated into all future capital projects.
- Conduct a Performance Audit of Capital spending every 2 years to ensure faithful stewardship of public funds.
But don't just take our word for it...
Let’s hear what famous coach Ted Lasso has to say
Fast Facts
- Jeffco Teachers earn an average salary of $84,392. Median salary in the District is $82,777
- Jeffco Teachers have seen salary increases of 40% over the past 5 years compared to 20% CPI increase
- Jeffco spent nearly $40 million on schools that were subsequently closed
- 46% of Jeffco kids are NOT grade level proficient in ELA/Reading. 55% NOT grade level proficient in Math.
- Jeffco contributes 21% of salary into the PERA teacher retirement plan
- Jeffco teachers can earn up to $112,403 based on the District's salary schedule
- Since 2017-18 teachers have seen salary increases ranging from 46% to 78% depending on where they fall on the pay scale, while ELA proficiency rates have only increased by 2.1 points
