Jefferson County – Faced with a tightening budget, the Jefferson County school board is embracing a new approach for setting its 2006-07 spending priorities.
Instead of automatically allocating dollars to previously funded programs, the district will ask educators and the community to work together and submit proposals for programs that will raise student achievement.
The board, in turn, will fund those programs that are linked to district goals, such as boosting early-childhood literacy or raising student expectations.
“It’s really a balancing act of positive change and maintenance of the system,” Superintendent Cindy Stevenson said Monday as board members wrangled with the details.
In essence, the district will focus on results, “instead of searching last year’s budget and figuring out what you want to cut,” said Babak Armajani, a consultant to the board.
For the 2006-07 school year, the district anticipates it will need $595 million to operate, said Lorie Gillis, chief financial officer for the district.
Under the budget changes, schools will receive a basic allocation to operate.
Staff writer Karen Rouse can be reached at 303-820-1684 or krouse@denverpost.com.
