September 19, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Jefferson County Board of Education has voted to put a measure on the November ballot that will ask voters to repeal a portion of a mill levy authorization approved in 1999.  This is a housekeeping action that will not have any financial impact on voters.

The 1999 mill levy allowed the Jeffco Public School district to earn $35.8 million over the course of four years for increasing student achievement.  That money went directly into the classroom and has been reflected in increased student achievement scores, according to Jeffco Public Schools Superintendent Cindy Stevenson.

“Unfortunately, the mechanics of that ballot measure do not apply today because the state-required tests of our students have changed dramatically in eight years,” said Stevenson.

The 1999 mill levy language was tied to specific student achievement on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP).  However, the current measurement standards make the 1999 mill levy language obsolete.  In 1999, the district gave approximately 50,000 student exams in eight different categories with an overall score of 53.2 percent.  Today, Jeffco administers over 168,000 exams covering 31 tests with an overall score of 64 percent.

“We are proud of what we have accomplished and continue to accomplish every day in classrooms throughout Jeffco.  Our scores and overall student achievement are increasing, but there is no additional financial gain available through the 1999 mill levy authorization,” said Stevenson.

###

For information, contact Communications Services at 303-982-6808.