• Board approves budget
• Capital construction oversight committee provides report to board
• Citizen committee recommends bond and mill ballot questions
• Opportunity to share information
• Superintendent available to speak
• Construction update
• Board of Education Meetings

John Bandimere
Speedway Owner
Wheat Ridge High School Alumnus

The Bright Stars program recognizes Jeffco
Public Schools' graduates who have gone on to distinguished careers or have accomplished a significant achievement. If you have a Bright Star you would like to nominate, please e-mail Communications Services.

The Jefferson County Board of Education has unanimously approved a $987.3 million budget for the 2008-2009 school year. The district made $1.5 million in budget cuts and continues to strategically spend down voter-approved mill levy money from 2004. According to the district’s budget office, 84.9 percent of the budget goes to schools, 10.9 percent is allocated for school support and 4.2 percent is targeted to district administration.

Board members say the budget reflects the district’s financial transparency and its focus on targeting funds that will make a difference to students. The district remains financially sound but the five-year budget outlook will require significant reductions and tough prioritization decisions. The budget office is projecting the following reductions between 2009 and 2012:

2009-2010 - $7 million
2010-2011 - $12 million
2011-2012- $16 million

The budgeting challenge for Jeffco Public Schools is how to meet increasing community expectations, increasing mandates and increasing costs with declining enrollment and cost of living increases that don’t match rising expenses.

The entire budget is found online at http://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/publications/index.html

Do you have any questions or comments about the budget.

Capital construction committee provides oversight report

Construction prices are continuing to soar but Jeffco Public Schools is doing a good job of keeping all of its projects on-time and on-budget.  Those comments came from the members of the Capital Improvement Oversight Committee (CIOC) during their report to the Board of Education at the June 5 meeting.  The eight-member citizen committee acts as an independent body keeping the 2004 voter-approved bond projects on course.  During its report to the board, the members of the CIOC said:

• The 2004 bond was well thought out and virtually crisis-free
• There is a high level of due diligence on the part of the school district
• School district staff members are very responsive to questions
• They are impressed with the schools that are being built and remodeled
• Cost increases in construction aren’t expected to go down

Concerned citizens from different areas of the county came out in force to attend the last Board of Education meeting for the 2007-2008 school year.  People from Green Mountain, Evergreen, Conifer and Littleton encouraged the board to put a bond issue and mill levy increase on the November 2008 ballot.  Former State Legislator Norma Anderson and former Arvada Mayor Ken Fellman offered to help lead the campaign, saying the investment in education is an investment in property values and in children.  The board is expected to make a decision about the ballot measures in August.

yWhat do you think about a possible bond and mill question on the ballot?

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Jeffco Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Cindy Stevenson regularly speaks to community and business groups throughout Jefferson County. Dr. Stevenson addresses current district issues, including educational successes and challenges, budget and school construction updates. If you have an organization or group that would like a district update, requests can be made by calling Communications Services at 303-982-6808.

Jeffco Public Schools currently has a total number of 339 projects with the following breakdown:  210 completed, 55 in construction, 11 in design/bidding and 63 not yet started.. All projects are part of the 2005-2010 Capital Improvement Program and funded from the 2004 $328.5 million bond.

School construction continues on-time and on-budget. To keep accurately informed, and to help inform others, please download and print the June District Construction Update fact sheet

What additional information would be helpful?

The Board of Education holds study/dialogue sessions (Seminar Room, 4th floor) and business meetings (Board Room, 5th floor) at the Educational Services Center, 1829 Denver West Drive, Bldg #27, Golden, unless otherwise noted.