Opinion | Qualman: A farewell and a call to action for Eagle County School District
After 22 incredible years with the Eagle County School District, including the last seven serving as superintendent, the time has come for me to say goodbye. Serving this district and this community has been the greatest honor of my professional life.
When I first arrived in Eagle County more than two decades ago, I never imagined I would spend the remainder of my career here. Like so many others, I came for the mountains and the rivers. I stayed because of the people and the feeling of community this valley provides.
Over the years, I’ve had the honor of serving as a teacher, coach, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent. I’ve watched students grow into adults, return to the valley, raise families, and send their own children through our public schools. Few educators are fortunate enough to witness a community across generations, and I have never taken that privilege for granted.
Reflecting on my time here, I am incredibly proud of what we accomplished together. To name a few, we expanded affordable housing for employees, increased community access to early childhood education, and introduced AVID to support first-generation college students. We launched CareerX to connect students with hundreds of internship and apprenticeship opportunities, and established a school-based therapy program that delivers mental health services directly to students at no cost to families.
None of this was the work of one person. It was the result of a community that consistently places a high value on children. Organizations like Education Foundation of Eagle County, YouthPower, SOS Outreach, Walking Mountains Science Center, The Cycle Effect, SpeakUp ReachOut, Habitat for Humanity and countless others provide a safety net and enrichment that few districts in the country enjoy.
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To our teachers and support staff: thank you for dedicating your lives to children. To our families: thank you for trusting us with what matters most. To our students: thank you for inspiring us every day with your resilience, curiosity and potential. And to those who challenged me, questioned my decisions or held me accountable: thank you as well. Public education is strongest when communities engage in thoughtful dialogue. While we did not always agree, those conversations made me a better leader and helped strengthen our schools.
As I step away, I must be candid about the serious challenges ahead. Across Colorado, fewer young people are entering the teaching profession, costs continue to rise (especially here in Eagle County), and state funding remains dangerously constrained. The combined pressures of TABOR, exploding Medicaid costs and federal budget shifts will take a mounting toll on public education in the years ahead.
When funding shrinks, the only variable Colorado school districts can adjust is time. The results are devastating. Already, 73% of school districts in our state have requested waivers to operate below the minimum 160 student contact days, with many moving to a four-day school week. The average number of contact days in Colorado is now just 150, compared to a national norm of 180. That is six weeks less per year. Compounded over a 13-year K-12 experience, Colorado students receive the equivalent of more than two full years fewer school days than their peers nationwide. Many of our children are receiving a part-time education, and as a state, we should be deeply troubled by that reality.
This is why I hope residents will carefully consider supporting the district’s anticipated Mill Levy Override this November. State and federal relief is not coming. But local communities still have the power to shape the educational experience of their children, and Eagle County has a long and proud history of doing exactly that.
When affordable housing threatened our educator workforce, we acted. When students needed greater access to mental health services, we acted. When our district needed to take a step forward with our safety efforts and our early childhood facilities, we acted. Time and again, this community has demonstrated that when we work together, we can accomplish extraordinary things. The district has an equally strong record of transparency, accountability and stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and that will not change.
On July 1, Dr. KC Somers will assume leadership of Eagle County School District. Having known KC professionally for many years, I can say with confidence that ECSD will be in excellent hands. He is a thoughtful, collaborative and innovative leader who cares deeply about students and public education. I am excited for him, and I am excited for this community.
I leave with immense gratitude and genuine hope. The success of ECSD has never been defined by a superintendent, a school board, or any single organization. It has always been defined by a community that believes in its children and is willing to invest in their future.
Thank you for allowing me to be part of that story. It has been an honor to serve.
Philip Qualman is the superintendent of Eagle County School District. Email him at philip.qualman@eagleschools.net
