Opinion | School Views: An investment in the future

In my last article, Why Local Funding Matters, I outlined the many financial challenges facing Eagle County School District, including limited state support, staffing reductions and declining enrollment district-wide.

These challenges are real. For the upcoming school year, due to the impact of lower enrollment and budgetary constraints, we will lose over 60 staff positions district-wide, a number we previously thought to be closer to 45. This reduction will be felt in every classroom, in every school, and in every department across our district.

But the challenges are only half the story. Today, I want to focus on the other half: what becomes possible if Eagle County voters invest directly in our schools through a Mill Levy Override. Not hypothetically, but concretely. Communities like Steamboat Springs and Aspen have already shown us what that investment makes possible. 

This year, Eagle County’s cost of living ranks fifth highest in the state, while the district’s base teacher salary ranks 30th among Colorado school districts of 2,000 students or more. While a harsh reality, by no means is this a reflection of how much our community values educators and support staff. It’s a reflection of a funding structure that hasn’t kept pace with regional realities and rising costs of living.

With a successful Mill Levy Override, we can change that. Districts like Aspen generate roughly $13,000 per student annually from local funding sources, while Eagle County currently generates less than $3,000. It’s not surprising that the average salary for an Aspen teacher is roughly $11,000 higher per year than a teacher in Eagle County. 

Support Local Journalism

Donate

Closing that gap, even partially, would make a real difference. It would allow us to offer salaries competitive enough to recruit talented educators and, just as importantly, to keep the great ones we already have. Teachers can plant roots here and classrooms can continue to be led by experienced educators who know our students, our valley, and our communities.

Over each of the past two years, ECSD has been forced to adjust staffing ratios to balance the budget. The result: larger class sizes and reduced support staff. These impacts are felt every day by students who need a little extra attention, and by teachers stretched too thin to give it.

Additional local funding would allow the district to stabilize staffing levels for years to come and to rebuild the support structures — counselors, interventionists, mental health staff — that make a real difference in student outcomes. In the coming years, every ECSD student could continue to have access to the kind of individualized support that helps them thrive.

Strong schools don’t just educate, they inspire future leaders. With adequate local funding, ECSD can protect and grow the programs that prepare our students for the future: Career and Technical Education(CTE), Dual Enrollment, CareerX, and the School-Based Therapy Program, to name a few. These are the experiences and programs that truly shape students to become world-class citizens and leaders in our community.

At the end of the day, research consistently shows that communities with strong public schools have higher property values, more stable local economies, and stronger civic engagement. Our schools are already a source of pride. With the right investment, they become a competitive advantage for attracting young families, retaining a local workforce, and sustaining the vitality that makes this place worth living in.

A Mill Levy Override is how we do that. It’s one of the few funding tools that bypasses the state’s equalization formula and puts local dollars directly into local schools — into staffing, compensation and programs.

This November is our opportunity to decide the future of Eagle County School District. The vision is there. The path is clear. The only question is whether we’re ready to make the investment.

We believe the time is now.

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