The Details and Thoughts Behind Colorado Amendment 66

With graphics like these, it's easy to see where those who created and supported Amendment 66 truly believed in what they had created, but is it true?  Can Colorado truly be that far behind their neighbors in spending?

After the recession school budgets nationwide were cut, in fact for the 2013-14 school year spending will be less than the 2007-08 school year in 34 states.  Of those 34, 13 have cut per student spending more than 10% and in some cases this was despite an increase in state revenue.  (source).  With this evidence the argument could be made that the goal of 66 was to bring Colorado's education budget back to the level of pre-2007 spending per student.  The creators of the amendment point out an out of date financial plan that did not anticipate Colorado's rate of growth or the need to offer competitive salaries to teachers. (source).

Amendment 66 proposed to pay for a $950 million dollar revenue boost with a two-tiered tax system:

In this way they had hoped the burden would be less to those with less, and still enough to make a difference.  It came out as about $.36 a day. 

The writers of the bill see our schools improving and strengthening, lending credit to the universal state standards and the hard-work of educators.  However, others have raised concerns that with our neighbors outspending us, it will be more challenging to keep teachers in state as well as keep the all important new teachers (who bring in fresh training and ideas) from quitting when their hard-work is not appreciated.  (source).

The issue of taxes and keeping new teachers working longer were motivators in other states spending more per a student.  And, finding sources to back the first graph on this page is easy, here is a chart on all fifty states' spending per a student.  What shall be investigated in future blogs is if higher spending equates to greater benefits to the students.