Bond and Mill Levy Overview
Jeffco Public Schools relies on both state and local voter-approved funding to deliver high-quality education, preparing our students for bright and successful futures. This page explains how Bonds, Mill Levy Overrides, and Special Purpose Mill Levies work, how past community investments are used and how we’re ensuring transparency by managing public funds, honoring our commitments, and always putting our students first.
When Jeffco voters approve additional property taxes, they directly fund our district's daily operations and facility needs. In return, we commit to:
- Delivering every project and initiative as promised.
- Communicating when the needs of students, staff, and our community require updates to investments promised.
- Maintaining transparency and accountability for every dollar spent.
Please read on to see how your investments make a daily difference for our students and staff.
What’s the difference between a Bond, a Mill Levy Override (MLO), and a Special Purpose Mill??
Bonds Provide One-Time Funding for Physical Investments
By law, Bond money can only be used for capital improvements, not day-to-day operating expenses. This includes:
- Building Improvements: New roofs, HVAC systems and structural repairs
- Site Upgrades: Paving, playground safety, and field lighting
- Technology & Assets: Large-scale hardware refreshes and physical assets
Once Bond money is spent, it's gone. It cannot be used for recurring expenses, like teacher pay.
MLOs and Special Purpose Mills Provide Recurring Funding for People, Programs, and Operations
While a bond provides one-time funding for buildings and capital assets, a Mill Levy Override (MLO) is a voter-approved local property tax that allows a school district to collect additional revenue beyond the base funding provided by the state. These recurring funds are used for general purposes within the school district, including:
- Teacher and staff compensation
- Academic programs
- Student services
- Day-to-day educational needs
- Other operating expenses such as building maintenance and repairs
A Special Purpose Mill is a voter-approved additional tax that goes straight to Jeffco Public Schools and must be used on capital, construction, technology and maintenance.
Funding Comparison: Where the Money Can Be Used
| Type of Expense | Bond | Mill Levy Override | Special Purpose Mill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building Improvements | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Site Upgrades | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Technology & Assets | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Teacher & Staff Compensation | ✓ | ||
| Academic Programs | ✓ | ||
| Student Services | ✓ | ||
| Day-to-day educational needs | ✓ | ||
| Recurring revenue stream for ongoing expenses | ✓ | ✓ |
Jeffco Builds
In 2018, voters approved a General Obligation (GO) Bond to borrow $567 million for school construction projects across the district. Since 2018, the district has completed 371 projects, delivering the work voters approved by modernizing classrooms, creating safer facilities and transforming learning environments where students thrive.
See the impact of Jeffco Builds Across the District
2018 Mill Levy Override
In 2018, Jeffco voters approved a mill levy override (MLO) to provide ongoing funding to Jeffco Public Schools. Priorities identified for funding included:
- Expanding STEM and career/technical education
- Attracting and retaining high-quality teachers and staff through competitive compensation
- Improving student safety and mental health services
- Updating classroom materials, books, and technology
- Increasing early education programs
Community Oversight & Accountability
We are committed to being open and honest about how your tax dollars are spent. To ensure complete transparency and accountability, community oversight committees such as the Capital Asset Advisory Committee and the Mill Levy Override Committee carefully monitor every dollar invested from voter-approved Bonds and Mill Levy Overrides.
The Capital Asset Advisory Committee (CAAC)
The Capital Asset Advisory Committee (CAAC) monitors the planning of capital needs and the implementation of bond projects, ensuring that decisions are sound, aligned with the district's needs, support the district’s strategic plan, and are clearly communicated to the community.
The Mill Levy Override Committee (MLOC)
We are committed to being open and honest about how we spend your tax dollars. The Mill Levy Override Committee (MLOC) is a district advisory committee that reviews MLO funding investments, providing oversight, transparency, and accountability for the community regarding:
- The 2018 Mill Levy Override (MLO) investments
- Any future voter-approved MLOs for Jeffco Public Schools