About 3b

ECS is paving the way for innovation, reform and accomplishment in public education today, but we need your help! 


Despite challenging demographics, a relatively young teaching staff, significant teacher turnover, high cost of living, declining budgets and competition from private and charter schools, ECS has maintained a strong upward path of achievement.  But we can't stop here...Continued cuts in services and funding will only cause us to lose momentum on the progress we've made:

  • The District’s budget issues are a direct result of continued cuts in funding from the state and federal levels, not due to fiscal mismanagement on our part. This is not a local problem. Due to the state’s fiscal outlook, we anticipate similar cuts for years to come, which could be devastating for school districts everywhere.

  • Eagle County Schools has been and continues to be fiscally responsible and demonstrates accountability in its use of taxpayer funds to educate students.

  • In three years Eagle County has lost 6,000 jobs (including teachers).  Rebuilding our local economy requires a strong educational system and community investment to attract new business and jobs and retain and grow existing businesses.

  • Additional funding is absolutely necessary in order to ensure future stability of our system and full implementation of academic programs for students. It has become increasingly difficult to meet the needs of our students with our present allocations.


Key Financial Data

The State of Colorado has reduced funding for Eagle County Schools by $6 million per year, over $1,000 per student.

  • These Mill Levy funds do not go through the state , they will remain within our School District and our control.
  • $9 million dollars have already been cut from the school district’s budget over two years.

2010-11 cuts: $4 million

  • 49 Full-Time-Equivalent (FTE) position cuts (39 at the building-level, 10 at the district-level): $3 million
  • Pay freeze for all employees, cuts to incentive pay and 110 employee restrictions (retirees who were coming back as part-time employees): $1 million

2011-12 cuts: $5 million

  • 47 FTE cuts (27 at the building-level , 20 at the district-level): $2.9 million
  • Delayed computer rotation and bus purchases, 3 furlough days, elimination of 110’s, District Office budget cuts, signing bonuses for hard-to-fill positions, Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) Grant-related cuts, building budget cuts, maintenance cuts and health care costs increases: $2.1 million
  • The proposed $6.0 million mill levy override will address impacts at two major levels, offering support for extra-curricular activities, arts and athletics, replace buses and computers that have exceeded their useful lifespan, maintain buildings and grounds and mitigate state budget cuts. At the class level it would prevent further cuts to core programs, restoring some of our most critical classroom positions, retaining quality classroom teachers and reinstating teacher/student classroom days.

2012 Property Taxes will drop. A mil levy increase would add back $92 per year (or less than $8 per month) on the assessed value of a $500,000 home. For many homeowners this will still result in a net decrease of their annual property tax.


Hard Data That Supports Success

Test scores are up. From 2002-2010, the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) across all grade levels tested (grades 3-10) has increased in the areas of reading and math. At the same time, the percentage of English Language Learner (ELL) students and students on free-and-reduced lunch in the District are increasing.

The achievement gap between white and Hispanic students is slowly closing. Over the past four years, the District has been successful in closing the achievement gap, while continuing to push low-performing students and challenge high-performing students. Part of this can be attributed to the District’s partnership with the Colorado Department of Education for the Closing the Achievement Gap initiative, an intensive focus on reading and math, use of the formative assessment testing and the professional development and pay-for-performance initiative in place in the District.

Graduation rates are higher than the Colorado state average. Eagle County Schools has exceeded State graduation levels since 2003. In 2010, ECS’ graduation rate was 81% and the state graduation rate was 73.3%.

Academic success measurement during the school year is higher than average. Value-added is generally defined as teachers getting more than one-year’s growth in one-year’s time. These charts look at Northwestern Evaluation Association (NWEA) results by individual schools, grade-level and content area tested. During the 2009-10 school year, 69% of reading, writing and math teachers in grades 2-8 produced more than one-year’s growth.


Talking Points

  • An economic recovery in Eagle County depends on maintaining a good public school system.
  • There has been 10 years of hard fought progress in improving academic performance.
  • Eagle County has become a national leader in teacher performance.
  • Until the Colorado economy regains a sustained healthy revenue trend we cannot rely on state funding to pay for the educational experience that Eagle County parents want for their children.
  • The long-term ramifications without this Mill Levy are future cuts focused at classroom level, possible closing of up to 3 schools, teachers pay, cuts to sports programs, elimination of middle school sports, cuts or elimination of extra-curricular activities and specials, decrease and elimination of existing bus routes.