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 The creators of the amendment point out an out of date financial plan that did not anticipate Colorado's rate of growth or the need to offer competitive salaries to teachers.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.
In November of 2013 the voters of Colorado voted down a 950 million dollar income tax increase as well as the rewriting of the education budget that was tied into Amendment 66. The hope of the amendment was that the public schools of Colorado would be able to decrease class sizes and fully revolutionize the education system. Here's a Link to Amendment 66 and what occurred during the vote
The Amendment was proposed to in order to also increase the equity within the state schools. There are schools that have strong and healthy budgets, like Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley, and then there are schools where classes are held in the bus garage like in schools in the San Luis Valley (source).
But does an increase in budget reduce class sizes? Do states that spend more money on their schools receive higher test scores, and more importantly better prepare their students for the 21st-Century? How do schools try to save money or bring in income, and do these ideas ultimately benefit students or hurt them? Does a school district with smaller class sizes and a greater budget attract more trained and stronger educators? I am hoping to look at many ideas, and concepts, and while I do not believe I will fully come to a conclusion, I will hopefully come closer to identifying real and possible ways to create effective school budgets.
