Column | School Views: Public education in Colorado: Why local funding matters

Colorado’s public education funding challenges are persistent, structural and increasingly urgent. And they’re not going to resolve themselves anytime soon.

With Colorado ranking near the bottom nationally in K-12 education funding, projected state budget shortfalls, compounded by recent federal policy changes, are expected to place additional strain on K-12 education funding in the coming years.

School districts across the state are already feeling the pressure. Colorado teachers earn roughly $4,000 less per year than their peers nationwide. Additionally, these teachers face heavier workload and larger class sizes due to low staffing. 

Perhaps most concerning, 73% of Colorado school districts have sought waivers allowing them to operate on four-day school weeks, meaning most districts now have fewer than 160 student contact days. This results in many Colorado students spending nearly a full month less in the classroom each year compared to students in other states.

Eagle County School District is facing many of these same challenges. 

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In each of the past two years, the district has been forced to adjust school staffing ratios to balance the budget, and every department has followed suit and made similar budget reductions. For the 2026-27 school year, as a result of lower enrollment and these staffing ratio changes, Eagle County School District will see a reduction of at least 45 FTE (Full-Time Equivalents) district-wide. These changes translate into fewer teachers, larger class sizes, and reduced support staff for students.

Additionally, while the district has made meaningful investments in employee compensation over the past five years, it continues to fall behind neighboring districts. Today, Eagle County’s base teacher salary ranks last among the state’s top 30 districts by teacher pay.

Other mountain communities have taken a different approach. Rather than waiting for additional state or federal funding to save the day, local voters have chosen to invest directly in their schools through voter-approved mill levy overrides and dedicated sales tax initiatives.

After passing a mill levy override and two sales tax initiatives in Fall 2025, Aspen School District now receives approximately $13,000 per student annually from local funding sources, while Eagle County generates less than $3,000 per student. Steamboat Springs generates roughly $10,000 per student locally from mill levy overrides and Sales Tax initiatives. Not surprisingly, teacher salaries in those communities are significantly higher, allowing them to attract and retain educators in increasingly competitive labor markets.

Eagle County voters have not approved a mill levy override, which can be used for staffing compensation, since 2016. Since that time, Eagle County voters have stepped up to approve several much needed bond initiatives, but these initiatives only allow the district to invest in capital improvements and buildings. While the importance of these bond initiatives cannot be understated, the district’s highest current need is additional funding that can be invested into staffing.

Given Eagle County’s strong property values and economic vitality, many community members understandably ask: How can our schools not have enough funding?

The answer is simple, yet nuanced.

Colorado’s school finance system is designed to equalize funding across districts statewide. While communities like Eagle County may generate more revenue due to higher assessed valuation, the state correspondingly reduces its contribution to maintain funding equity. In practice, this means that for every additional dollar collected locally under the standard school finance formula, state funding decreases. This results in little to no net increase in resources for local schools.

A mill levy override is one of the few mechanisms that allows communities to invest additional funding directly into their schools outside of this equalization formula. Unlike standard school finance revenue, mill levy override funding stays local and can be used to support priorities such as competitive teacher compensation, manageable class sizes, strong student programs, and mental health supports.

Eagle County School District remains deeply committed to providing high-quality educational opportunities for every student. But maintaining excellence requires resources that keep pace with rising costs and regional realities.

Across Colorado’s mountain communities, voters have recognized that strong schools are foundational to vibrant communities and healthy local economies. The question now is whether Eagle County is ready to make that same investment in its future.

Bryson Beaver is the chief financial officer for Eagle County School District. Email him at bryson.beaver@eagleschools.net