Budget Reduction Blueprint

Jeffco’s top priority is to keep reductions as far from the classroom as possible. Schools and the departments that support them will work to protect resources that directly and positively impact student learning. 

Most of Jeffco’s budget—about 84%—is spent on people: teachers, bus drivers, counselors, coaches, custodians, and many others who support students every day. Because most of the budget is dedicated to staffing, reductions will inevitably affect people and services. Families and students may notice changes outside of the classroom, such as adjustments to transportation, fees for technology, athletics, or activities, and how certain services—such as meals—are offered. 

Because most of Jeffco’s budget is spent on people, both schools and central service departments will need to reduce staff. Jeffco’s priority is to retain people whenever possible. Impacted employees will be encouraged and supported to apply for available roles across the district as positions naturally open due to retirements or other transitions. 

Any staff member whose position is affected will receive support from Jeffco Human Resources and the Jeffco Business and Workforce Center. This includes help with resumes, job searches, interviewing, and career coaching. Resources will also be available for payroll, health insurance, COBRA, unemployment, and retirement planning. All steps will align with negotiated agreements with JCEA and JESPA. 

The timeline for staff funded by department budgets is as follows:

• November 13, 2025: Department reduction plans announced. 
• By December 2, 2025: Department-funded staff complete intent form. 
• December 15–17, 2025: Individual notification of reduced positions for department-funded staff. 
• December 18, 2025: Final reductions and service-level impacts on schools communicated. 
• February–April 2026: Internal hiring activities for 2026–27. 
• June 2026: Reductions effective. 

The timeline for staff funded by school budgets is as follows:

Individual notifications of reduced positions for staff funded by school budgets will occur as schools make decisions and complete their budgeting processes in January, February and March 2026. All communication, timelines, and steps align with collective bargaining agreements. 

Jeffco will reduce funding and prioritize the protection of resources closest to students: 

• Department Budgets: ~$27 million in reductions for central service departments that serve students and schools. 
• School Budgets: ~$14 million in reductions to school budget allocations.
• We will also explore other ways to lower spending without impacting jobs. 

Reductions are not across the board; they are based on how directly a department’s work supports students. 

• Direct Classroom Support: Departments that fund teaching and learning have smaller reductions (about 2–4%). 
• Student Services: Departments that serve students, but less directly, have reductions of about 4–8%. 
• Indirect/Compliance Support: Departments that support staff/students indirectly or serve compliance purposes have the largest reductions (about 8–11%). 

View the January presentation to the Board for an overview of department reductions

 It is important to note that most department budgets pay for critical supports that operate inside schools, including: 

• Student Support Services: Counselors, social workers, psychologists, special education staff, and paraeducators. 
• Health and Safety: School nurses, screening staff, and School Safety personnel. 
• Instructional & Operational Supports: Bus drivers, custodians, maintenance staff, CLDE teachers, and interpreters. 
• Learning Tools: Core curriculum materials and technology infrastructure. 

Department reduction plans are intended to preserve as many of these critical supports as possible and are expected to have a minimal impact on schools. 

The total amount of money schools receive next year will be reduced by approximately $14 million. The Budget Reduction Blueprint will result in the base amount of district funding schools receive per student being reduced between 1.5% and 4.5%. 

• Smaller schools that serve more at-risk students will have a smaller reduction. 
• Larger schools with fewer at-risk students will have a larger reduction. 
• Enrollment changes will also impact school budgets. 

Yes. All areas of the district are being reviewed, including leadership. The first confirmed reduction was the Deputy Superintendent position, which reduces the size of the district leadership team by nearly 10%. Additional leadership structures will continue to be evaluated to ensure resources stay as close to students as possible.

It is worth noting that Jeffco’s administrative spending is already low—only 5% of the 2025–26 budget goes toward general administration. The remaining 95% funds services that directly or indirectly support students. While we are cutting administration, these cuts alone cannot solve the budget gap.

No. Jeffco will not make cuts to the Department of School Safety. The district is committed to strengthening safety measures wherever possible and hopes to invest more if new revenue becomes available. 

Ideas for additional investments under consideration include: 

• 100% School Resource Officer (SRO) funding and increased number of SROs to support ALL secondary schools 
• Increased Campus Supervisor coverage 
• Increase to R-1 armed patrol 
• Central capital reserve refresh for safety and security infrastructure (e.g. security cameras) 
• Other investments that may emerge as we consider and pilot additional safety measures. Examples include:  
  • Visitor/volunteer screening tools  
  • Weapon detection systems 
  • K9 weapon detection services  
  • Badge systems for identification and building access   

Jeffco schools and departments build budgets to decide how to best use resources to support students. For 2026–27, the process remains the same, but with fewer dollars. 

• At Schools: Principals work with School Accountability Committees (SACs), staff, and leadership teams to make decisions based on student needs. 
• At Departments: Leaders engage team members to identify efficiencies that minimize impacts on schools. View the January presentation to the Board for an overview of department reductions.

Feedback from staff, families, and community members directly shaped the design of the reduction targets. Early surveys and engagement activities showed strong support for protecting classroom instruction and reducing administrative costs first. These priorities informed the variable reduction percentages for departments (protecting those closest to students). As principals develop individual school budgets, they will continue to collaborate with their communities to ensure local decisions reflect shared priorities.

Jeffco encourages all stakeholders—students, families, staff and community members—to help shape future decisions. Schools are communicating directly with their communities to share information, updates, and opportunities to engage throughout their school budgeting process.

Additional engagement opportunities at the district level include:

• Reviewing FAQs and information on the district Budget Reduction Blueprint webpage
• Joining the Partnership for Fiscal Sustainability

Jeffco is committed to instructional excellence, extraordinary student experiences, and responsible stewardship of public resources. The district works continuously to improve efficiency and focus dollars where they matter most. For example: 

• Since 2021, Jeffco has closed 21 schools through the Regional Opportunities for Thriving Schools initiative. With declining enrollment, we focused our resources on fewer schools to provide extraordinary experiences for every student and staff member. These closures generated about $20 million per year in cost savings — which was helpful, but only a portion of our much larger structural deficit. 
• Jeffco manages surplus properties through a transparent, public process that generates revenue for the capital fund while balancing community interests. It’s important to know that revenue from the sale of these properties is required by policy to be reinvested in capital investments, like building improvements. These one-time funds cannot be used toward salaries or other non-capital expenses. 
• In 2018, voters approved ballot measure 5B, providing $567 million for school construction projects across the district. The Jeffco Builds initiative uses bond revenue from ballot measures to fund essential construction projects that improve the school experience for staff and students. 
• Jeffco partners with organizations and pursues grants that expand services without drawing from the general fund. For example, the Hazel Health partnership provides free physical and mental health care to students, and the Jeffco Schools Foundation secures grants that directly support classrooms. 

Since 2021, Jeffco has closed 21 schools through the Regional Opportunities for Thriving Schools initiative. With declining enrollment, we focused our resources on fewer schools to provide extraordinary experiences for every student and staff member. These closures generated about $20 million per year in cost savings — helpful, but only a portion of our much larger structural deficit. 

Jeffco currently collects the lowest additional revenue per student among large metro-area districts, which limits available resources for students. 

The district may explore voter-approved Mill Levy Override (MLO) measures through Funding Jeffco Kids Can Count On, a community-driven effort to strengthen local schools. Increasing the mill levy by one mill could generate approximately $15 million in new revenue, with an estimated $43 annual increase in property taxes for a home valued at $600,000. 

This effort is about more than funding, it is about ensuring that every Jeffco student has what they need to learn and thrive, supported by a community that invests in their success.