Great ed Douglas County ppt with script

Great Futures Start with a Great Education Great Ed Douglas County

• Education - Our children won’t get a 21st century education if we continue to disinvest

• Jobs - 73,000 jobs will be lost if these three measures pass. Companies won’t come to Colorado, creating new jobs and strengthening our economy and our kids’ futures.

• Public safety, health, and transportation – These services that support our communities will be at risk. • More at www.lookingforwardcolorado.com

Three Reasons to Care about Amendments 60, 61 and Prop 101:

Is Colorado Making the Necessary Investments in our Future?

Great Futures Start with a Great Education . . .

How is Colorado doing?

• 42nd in K-12 education per pupil funding (adjusted for cost of living)

• 40th in elem. level pupil to teacher ratio• 41st in technology in our schools • 48th in per capita spending on higher ed• 46th in combined state and local taxes

In other states …

Statewide 6.12 percent or $354 million (so far) Over $400-500 per studentResult: Increased class size; school days, summer school cut; schools closed; furloughs & layoffs; transportation, activity & technology fees; art/ music/electives, mentoring & literacy staff cut.

Douglas County School District•440 DCSD Jobs Eliminated from 09/10 to 10/11

-160 were classroom teachers•Fees for buses, technology and sports•Preparing for another 6 percent cut in 2011-12

Cuts to Public Schools

**

Colorado: 48th Higher Ed Funding

(per capita)

How Low Can Higher Ed Go?

Cuts to Higher Education• Higher Ed• 2010-11: Funding propped up by federal stimulus

dollars. • 2011-12: cuts of as much as $300 million in state aid

anticipated when stimulus ends.• Result: Annual 9% increases in tuition, making higher

ed less accessible; larger classes, shrinking course availability, potentially closed departments, campuses.

• Deeper cuts expected for the current year and the 2011-12 year. . .

When will it get better?

• When will full day Kindergarten be free and Preschool more accessible?

• When will our class sizes approach other states’?• When will tuition stop increasing?• When will technology be on par with the national

average? • When will we be able to restore art, music, PE,

and Career Tech. classes?

Never.

Until we act.

In fact, it could get even worse.

AT A CROSSROADS

Current Trajectory

If A60, A61, or P101 pass

Long Term Goal

2011-122010-11 2012-13

Investment

($)

$5,000

$5,500

$6,000

$6,500

$7,000

$7,500

$8,000

$8,500

2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13

Spending per student declining in Douglas County

More budget cuts are expected next year even if 60, 61, and 101 fail.

$5,000

$5,500

$6,000

$6,500

$7,000

$7,500

$8,000

$8,500

2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13

Passage of 60,61,101 Current projections

Douglas County schools would be devastated by 60, 61, and 101

If 60, 61, and 101 pass spending per student plummets

Reduces Government Revenues

• Reduces car registration, license fees, income tax rate, phone bill taxes. Result: $2+ billion/year (large proportion goes to schools)

Bottom line: Slashes revenues at state/local levels on the heels of $3+ billion in state cuts alone. Education cuts inevitable, resulting in larger class sizes, narrowing curriculum, higher tuition, higher fees.

DCSD estimates losing $16M over 5-yr period in Specific Ownership Tax when fully implemented

Proposition 101

Limits Property Taxes & Voids TABOR Elections • Cuts local property taxes for schools in half without means for

state to replace those lost local revenues. • Overrides past local “de-Brucing” elections.• Allows citizens to put mill levy reductions on ballot by petition.• Applies property tax to many colleges and universities.Bottom line: Reverses voters’ will in previous elections resulting in

increased class size, decreased opportunities, higher tuition, closed institutions.

DCSD estimates losing $80M over 10-year period under this measure

Amendment 60

Limits Government Borrowing • Prohibits state from any use of debt to finance

important projects over time. Colorado would be only state in the country with this restriction.

• Would end the “Build Excellent Schools Today” program

• Could result in March – November school year in some districts.

• DCSD would not be able to borrow until 2014, even if voters wanted to provide space to reduce class size.

Amendment 61

Bottom line: An end to state assistance for school construction, more expensive local school construction.

District Impact: DCSD depends on interest-free loans. If passed, DCSD would lose $5.6M/yr, or $56M over 10-yr period, more than 70 teachers

B.E.S.T.

Statewide:• At least $2.7 billion loss of local and state

revenue for important community services.• Loss of thousands of jobs in public and

private sector, including 8,000 educators

Source: Looking Forward Colorado, www.lookingforwardcolorado.com

Prop 101, Amendment 60 & 61 Impact

Prop 101, Amendment 60 & 61 Impact

Douglas County School District:• If Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition

101 pass, would reduce DCSD funding contribution by 40%, or $99M ($1,790/student) when fully implemented.

• District will not be able to borrow until 2014

Prop 101, Amendment 60 & 61 Impact

Douglas County Total Impact: One-third reduction in annual revenue• 47% cut to Developmental Disabilities Fund• 47% cut to Road and Bridge Fund• 23% cut to Law Enforcement Authority Fund• 52% cut to Library funding

1. Colorado’s funding for preschool, K-12 and higher ed is already too low and being cut further.

2. A60, A61 and P101 – would devastate our education system and make it impossible for our economy to recover or compete.• A60 – Guts local support for schools• A61 – Makes construction and health & safety repairs virtually

impossible• Prop 101 – Cuts $2+ billion out of district, local and state

budgets that are already unable to meet the needs of their citizens.

Great Futures Start with a Great Education, but . . .

… even mediocre education will be impossible if 60, 61 or 101 pass.

• Get Informed -- and inform others• Schedule a speaker for your PTO, HOA, etc.• Learn the elevator speech (use a wallet card!)

• Join our facebook: Great Education Colorado, Douglas County• Volunteer!

• Host or Attend a Postcard-writing Party• Pass a resolution against 60, 61, 101• Thank school board members for unanimous passage of resolution opposing 60, 61, and 101

What Can We Do?

Contact Great Education Colorado and the Great Futures Colorado Coalition

Sue Catterall, Douglas Countysue@suecatterall.com

Casey Shea casey@greateducation.org

303-722-5901

www.greateducation.org

douglas.greateducation.org

For More Information: