Thank you.
Thank you to everyone who came out and voted to support our schools! 5A passed!! Today is a day for celebration!
We are elated to be able to give our hard working teachers and staff the raise they deserve. Thank you to everyone who showed up for our hard working staff!
Sadly 5B didn’t pass, but the need for a bond hasn’t gone away. We will stand by to support the district when the time comes to try again. Having fully funded schools is our priority!
It’s been such an inspiration to see our community come together to support our schools, staff, and students. Thank you.
Measure 5A is passing while 5B is lagging as early votes are tallied for Douglas County School District
by McKenna HarfordNovember 8, 2023
“The $66 million mill levy override will fund an average of 9% increase for teachers and help close the salary gap between Douglas County and other metro area districts. Funding will also go to increasing staff compensation across the board and expanding school resource officers in elementary schools.“ (Photo credit: McKenna Harford)
Strong, widespread community support for 5A and 5B
You already know how firmly we believe our schools need to pay our staff competitively and keep our schools, staff and students safe. Don’t just listen to us. Take a look at what community members are saying:
Support 5A and 5B
“Voting yes on 5A and 5B are wise investments in our community by providing funding needed to increase support and teacher pay which maintains and brings in the best and brightest, by allowing for updates to aging schools and improved security in an age where violence is increasing rapidly, and by offering increased career training and trade education for high school students.“
Susan Flynn-Schoenig
Parker
October 30, 2023
5A and 5B are needed
“Why do we need to pass the 2023 MLO? DougCo teachers’ salaries today aren’t competitive. DCSD teachers receive an annual salary $15,000 less than their peers in Littleton Public Schools (LPS) and $8,000 less than their peers in the JeffCo School District. DCSD continues to run an extremely lean administration, with admin costs per student that are one-half that of LPS or Cherry Creek and one-third that of Denver Public Schools. Unlike the other property tax increases we’ve all experienced in DougCo since 2019, every single penny of MLO revenue will remain with Douglas County schools.“
Dan Smith
Highlands Ranch
October 16, 2023
Vote for school funding
“The MLO and bond are fiscally conservative and responsible. Preventative maintenance is more cost-effective than deferred maintenance. Do you regularly maintain your car or skip maintenance until it dies? Building necessary new schools gives taxpayers a tangible return (infrastructure) for tax dollars instead of burning dollars as fuel for bussing.”
Michael Burmeister
Highlands Ranch
September 18, 2023
Did you know that 5A and 5B are the only way local funding remains in our local schools?
Unfortunately, the increase in property taxes we are experiencing here in Douglas County doesn’t provide our schools with more revenue. Each year, under the School Finance Act (SFA), the state legislature determines the total funding allowance (funded by local property tax and backfilled by the state) for each school district. In the SFA funding model, as the local share of property tax increases, the state share decreases by the same amount so as not exceed the total funding allowance. However, state law allows school districts to request additional local funding from its voters through a mill levy override, providing local resources over and above the SFA allowance.
