Colorado voters this week overwhelmingly approved measures to build new schools and update existing ones – but were more wary about giving their tax dollars to new programs.
Thirteen school districts got the nod from voters to boost taxes for new school construction. Results were pending in Montrose, according to data compiled by the Colorado Association of School Executives.
The bond dollars will go to replace boilers and roofs, and build new classrooms and new schools in places where there is burgeoning growth, like Douglas County, or where buildings are crumbling.
“Construction needs are great, and voters have come through,” said Jana Caldwell, spokeswoman for CASE.
But tax increases that were supposed to pay for school programs, such as teacher training or literacy projects, were not as successful statewide.
Of 20 districts seeking money for programs, only about half passed. Results from two county elections were pending.
Among the losers were Commerce City School District 14, which was seeking $458,000 for a new charter school, and Lewis-Palmer in El Paso County, which sought $2.3 million to run a new high school and operations at an existing school.
“Oftentimes, it’s more difficult to prove how the money will be used on the operational side,” said Bruce Caughey, policy director for CASE. “It’s not as readily apparent as a new roof or a new boiler or a brand-new school.”
Douglas County was celebrating two victories Wednesday.
The district went after a bond for six new elementary schools and a new middle school, as well as a tax increase to expand its world language programs.
“Obviously we’re excited about it,” said Carol Kaness, district spokeswoman.
Douglas County schools will use some money to teach foreign languages in elementaries, where they hope to start second-graders in another language.
District officials hope to bring in those “frequently spoken in the world.”
This could include Farsi, which is spoken in Afghanistan and Iran; Mandarin Chinese; and Spanish, said Annette Fante, assistant superintendent of learning services for Douglas County.
Another winner was the Prairie School District in Weld County, which asked voters for a $75,000 tax increase to help pay for fuel to run school buses.
Staff writer Allison Sherry can be reached at 303-954-1377 or asherry@denverpost.com.
