[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6576429,"mediaKeyId","3105194-f11abb8497abb65c0448de10d34a7212","parentId",3105194,"title","District 11 unveils preliminary budget proposal that prioritizes classroom pay, trims central office","audioSeconds",1619,"startMs",853000,"endMs",2472000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3105194-f11abb8497abb65c0448de10d34a7212&start=853&end=2472","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3105194-f11abb8497abb65c0448de10d34a7212/thumbnail_853000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6576429/Colorado/District-11-unveils-preliminary-budget-proposal-that-prioritizes-classroom-pay-trims-central-office","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6576429-41bf3bd787f4f3938b652cce24211e2a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770807760&Signature=bhQCNJJ6BanFWftiL-TIEglj30OzuuYtDWydTPk9zw0UA1bhoKAKFuhTdMZQLh600Si89IcQn~WETKM6FB1flRuRV~ZOKsbMA7SQ~IvXsJCb0NS4YFMM7YXqn4vUGd7UZENxaHZN3Xq8ueCsS1Y8Sjux3-u-xib6RvCDIYxFtKlf5Br1oYh30PhtZXpXBPMn1M4xmbFlJ9lpwpqTKvqEIVrsS4a7dR-9fHvIrCeLcXHs72OR6AQytPjLkIG3e6EssFggoQe2ieFHWzJb1NdibtXy45OKwAeF4zemlLlzvk3FE7PVijH7jr78Jn70Sw5k2wgKCY7BwfwFQIUOlr2AGQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Colorado Springs School District No. 11","date","2025-04-24T02:20:38.613Z","article","The Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education on April 23 heard a preliminary budget presentation from district staff that centers on increasing pay for school-based staff and shifting spending away from central administration. District officials said the plan directs almost all new recurring state funding to compensation for staff near students, funds a substantial nonrecurring pay component, and relies on additional realignments to preserve classroom positions.

The recommendation arrives as district leaders said state-level funding remains uncertain and enrollment trends continue to affect the district\u0000s per-pupil revenue. Officials said the district expects roughly $5 million in new state funding under the School Finance Act this year, and that the compensation package the board reviewed will cost more than that on a recurring basis.

Why it matters: District staff framed the budget as a strategy-driven exercise to move resources to instruction and classroom-facing staff. Presenters said the district has already reduced central-office spending in prior years and will continue reorganizing central functions to make recurring and nonrecurring dollars available for teacher pay, pupil supports and prioritized student programs.

What administrators told the board
- District staff told the board a roughly $5 million increase tied to the School Finance Act is expected, while the cost of the compensation package shown to the board totals about $8.4 million in recurring salary and benefits when fully annualized. Staff said they will make up the difference by redirecting existing funds and by ongoing central-office savings.
- Staff described a 10% overall compensation approach for most employee groups made up of a smaller recurring increase and a larger nonrecurring payment: teachers (commonly grouped in the presentation as \"Group A\") would receive about 4% recurring and 6% nonrecurring; school-based non-teaching staff (paraprofessionals, custodians, admin assistants) about 3% recurring and 7% nonrecurring; central-office non-school employees about 2% recurring and 8% nonrecurring. Presenters emphasized most of the $10% overall figure is cash in hand for employees and that benefits increases and retirement contributions are calculated separately.
- Finance staff said central-office reorganizations produced roughly $4.2 million in savings in the prior year and about $3.2 million in projected savings in the current plan, noting roughly $7.0 million of savings over two years from central-office changes.
- Staff said the district freed about $1.3 million of general-fund dollars by adjusting how Mill Levy Override (MLO) funds are used, and that fund-balance projections remain sizeable even after the proposed compensation steps and nonrecurring investments.
- Presenters reaffirmed the district\u0000s stated aim not to reduce teaching positions at schools this year; staff said no school-based roles that are coded as central-office positions are being cut. They also said vacancies remain and that the district expects to continue work to place staff where they best support instruction.

Quotes from the meeting
\"We are intentionally shifting our resources to be closer to the mission of District 11,\" Director Trisha Nelson said during the presentation, summarizing the board\u0000s direction to prioritize classrooms. \"All new money goes to compensation\" was the language administrators used repeatedly in program slides.
\"The number one way to student achievement is access to high quality instruction,\" a presenter said when arguing why pay and staff realignment had to prioritize classroom roles.

Other budget details and next steps
- Recurring vs. one-time: Staff said the plan emphasizes recurring salary increases where possible but deliberately includes large nonrecurring payments to accelerate compensation impact this year while preserving flexibility for future years.
- Specific dollar figures presented to the board included approximately $8.4 million in total recurring staff compensation costs (about $6.8 million salary increases and $1.6 million in benefits) and nearly $13 million in nonrecurring compensation dollars earmarked for employees in the coming year.
- Staff said the district is consolidating Title I funds into a consolidated schoolwide program to reduce administrative burden on schools while still tracking required federal spending separately.
- Administrators demonstrated a staff-facing salary calculator tool they plan to publish for employees to estimate individual effects of the combined recurring and nonrecurring package.

Board discussion and concerns
Board members asked for clarity on program-level impacts and whether student activities and arts opportunities would be preserved. Presenters told the board the budget keeps funding for athletics, performing arts and \"peak experiences,\" and that the district has set aside $400,000 for visual and performing arts programming next year.
The board also discussed student fees and fines. Administrators said the intent is to reduce barriers for extracurricular participation and to use district funds to cover basic costs so that families are not required to fund essential after-school or athletic participation. Administrators said they will bring a fees-and-fines agenda item to the board in the near term.

What the board asked staff to do
Board members did not take a final vote on the budget at the April 23 meeting. The board asked staff to present the budget as a non-action item at a future meeting with line-item detail and to continue engaging employee groups and community stakeholders before final adoption. Staff said they will return with the full budget book and more detailed line items for board review and a non-action presentation before formal adoption.

Bottom line
The district presented a preliminary budget built around realigning central-office resources and directing most new money toward compensation for classroom-facing staff. Staff said the plan preserves teaching positions for the coming year, increases average compensation through a mix of recurring and nonrecurring payments, and will be brought back to the board for formal review and adoption later this spring.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOE Work Session 4-23-25","oneSentenceSummary","The Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education on April 23 heard a preliminary budget presentation that shifts existing resources and expected new state dollars toward pay increases and classroom priorities while trimming central-office spending.","taxTitle","Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the cou, School Districts , Colorado","taxId",12901,"location","Colorado","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6576420,"District 11 outlines $26 million Jenkins Middle School rebuild plan, aims for partial occupancy in August 2025",59,9621000,9680000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3105194-f11abb8497abb65c0448de10d34a7212&start=9621&end=9680","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3105194-f11abb8497abb65c0448de10d34a7212/thumbnail_9621000.jpg","/articles/6576420/Colorado/District-11-outlines-26-million-Jenkins-Middle-School-rebuild-plan-aims-for-partial-occupancy-in-August-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6576420-7ffb0f392845c3def3f85d98ae1f54fd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770807760&Signature=c4HOSboJhkd0QnuvpBt5macY3x2JzvUeBNNiQqZx6sSA4gD5uTikhpaJ1kG0M1yaJ92mRe5hDWcutYT2U-G83MhJSQYtjkeJ6Ua5aA-AdtPd9pYCr3Vx-C0vye8SRvOLGk9yh-gjN5Ji8mw2FxDZZKSlOuxxUvf~8XwbN-tv5OxRlrhTjGxcN9b-WnVNG5-bo9wz14mTbXDcW7cKrvt12fmlTs7cl4lRebkFX-EzVuf1ANCPpf4DHDGHRYiGs5ZVo5hy8w74k2mIb8ZwB3dNhTOTQXjtji792iv4DzeIxlaqGsEPHypWzdj6aQaPuHSdHyqulYTP3ZP0~TmFgfg-jw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Colorado Springs School District 11 on April 23 received a construction update and concept design for the Jenkins Middle School repairs and partial rebuild, including schedule, stabilization work and a preliminary budget estimate. District staff and the district\u0000s design-construction partners told the board they are moving to fast-track work to achieve partial occupancy for the rebuilt space in August 2025 and full occupancy in August 2026.

What the plan covers
- Immediate stabilization and demolition: Contractors reported demolition permits are in hand and that crews have begun demolition in the media center and other interior areas. The team said the building shows localized settlement and that the project will remove slabs in affected areas and replace them on micropiles (nitropiles) to isolate new structural slabs from unstable soils.
- Phasing to protect school operations: The plan calls for building a new two-story academic addition on the south side of the campus while preserving other teaching areas for occupied use. The district\u0000s plan uses a temporary hard fire barrier and strict segregation of active construction zones so occupied parts of the school can be used safely. Modular classrooms will be placed in the bus loop as a temporary measure for the 2025-26 school year if needed.
- Reimagined spaces: The recommendation includes reconfiguring the former seventh/eighth-grade wing with a glass-connected two-story addition, a reimagined media center with a learning stair and maker/academic labs, and an outdoor amphitheater/learning plaza. Designers emphasized west-facing learning spaces and multiuse spaces for performance and collaboration.
- Code and life-safety coordination: Staff said they are coordinating closely with the Colorado Springs Fire Department and Pikes Peak Regional Building Department to meet current building and fire codes. A key open question for the team is whether the building will require full sprinklering as part of the renovation or whether a phased/supplemental approach will be acceptable for partial occupancy; staff said their budget assumes worst-case sprinkler requirements until officials confirm otherwise.

Budget and schedule
District staff presented a preliminary budget package in the mid-$20 million range (the team referenced a $26 million planning number) and said they will seek board authorization next week to execute contract modifications and move from preconstruction to construction. The contractors and district project managers said they are aligned on a schedule that sequences micropile installation, slab remediation, fire-barrier work, media-center build-back and then full addition construction.

Board direction and public outreach
The board was asked to approve a contract modification next week at a special meeting to allow the team to proceed; administrators said they will include public comment opportunities in that special meeting schedule. Staff also said they will continue weekly updates to the board and additional community briefings this spring and summer to answer detailed operational questions (student assignments, modular locations, transportation impacts).

Quotes
\"We have demolition permit. We, yesterday, picked up our repair permit... we are off and running,\" a contractor representative said while showing photos of early demolition.
\"Our goal is partial occupancy in August as we briefed a couple of times, and we are projecting full occupancy the following August of 2026,\" a district project lead told the board.

Next steps
- District staff said they will present a contract modification and maximum-price authorization at a special meeting next week and urged the board to act quickly to keep the fast-track schedule intact.
- Staff will continue life-safety coordination with CSFD and the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department and will aim to provide a vendors\u0000priced sprinkler and mechanical scope while they await final code decisions.

Bottom line
District staff and construction partners proposed a fast-tracked remediation and redesign of Jenkins Middle School, with early stabilization and partial occupancy a central objective. The board is expected to consider a contract modification next week to allow construction to proceed under the proposed schedule and budget assumptions.
","District officials and contractors gave a construction update on Jenkins Middle School on April 23, outlining demolition, micropiles to stabilize slabs, a reimagined two-story academic addition and a proposed budget package. The district plans a special meeting next week to ask the board to authorize contract modifications to start work quickly.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6576425,"Board backs tighter middle-school accountability; staff to draft policy on early interventions",1478,4608000,6086000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3105194-f11abb8497abb65c0448de10d34a7212&start=4608&end=6086","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3105194-f11abb8497abb65c0448de10d34a7212/thumbnail_4608000.jpg","/articles/6576425/Colorado/Board-backs-tighter-middle-school-accountability-staff-to-draft-policy-on-early-interventions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6576425-51f949da125c1a854f3d6d73ae776134/orig.mp4?Expires=1770807760&Signature=lLt4w9ZLC~GFQMAV0xzHujrWsR3WS4E86QHlvRIn79xBukoul-L81LgB46aZpf7cnVI~xNDbnBRTbokvAOHgj3O1M4Tk44ebTMZkUB9FQUkmmHXvbNc6oKOrHIrR-by8a1~1svFLt8mOn0EQwS-k6X8oDgDc43ky3SE2pHI5~R~LX0SIcyyDGHq7SkjY~OaekW0gMoWpKcwcDDNya4GN9WiPelxMUmVfhSMch0dNaZruBgcdi~4YnatuZkumPGtyPdSik3~JBuVoD741w02-KV-6CDxjqUw~n0rSVjO7CZ6WtygHS9mUdUFXALnXB1S0LqPelMdpvt9gXhvriaP--A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education on April 23 reviewed a district plan to tighten middle-school accountability and identify students earlier for academic intervention. Area leaders described a consistent, team-driven process to screen students and move them quickly through tiered supports intended to prevent students with persistent gaps from reaching high school without foundational skills.

The plan and why it was brought forward
Administrators told the board that many middle-school students receive passing grades but show weak proficiency on state or interim assessments, a discrepancy that increases the likelihood of high-school struggles. The proposed accountability system would use a consistent screening team and a three-metric rule: a student meeting two of the following three conditions would be screened into intervention—an F in a core course, STAR (benchmark) growth in the bottom range (around the 35th percentile or lower), or STAR proficiency below the approaching/proficient threshold.

How the intervention system would work
Administrators described a staged response: initial supports (SMART goals, counselor check-ins, scheduled academic support or advisory), extensive supports (increased daily monitoring, more-frequent progress checks, structured academic support classes during the school day) and critical supports (mandated extended learning, summer school, or in some proposals a dedicated middle-school academy for students who do not respond to prior interventions).
Presenters emphasized parent engagement and regular reporting as part of the intervention process and said teams would use consistent, research-based assessments (STAR and formative module assessments) to monitor progress and screen students in and out of supports.

Board reaction and direction
Board members pressed for clarity on grading practices, the relationships between grades and state tests, and whether interim assessments such as STAR or the district\u0000s adopted module tests (Eureka/Mastery checks) could be incorporated into gradebooks or used more systematically to reduce surprises for families.
The board voted by unanimous thumbs-up to direct staff to bring policy options and an implementation timeline back to the board by the end of the school year. Multiple board members offered to participate in a small working group with administration to draft policy language and operational options for the 2025-26 school year.

Quotes
\"We can get supports to our students quicker and more frequently by reviewing data that actually matters,\" Area Superintendent Darren Joyner said while presenting the proposal.
\"We want to activate developmentally appropriate supports quickly for our kids,\" Joyner told the board, summarizing the plan\u0000s mission.

Next steps and considerations
Administrators said they will return with draft policy options and recommended operational steps, including: a screening cadence, clear definitions of the three screening metrics, guidance for how interim assessment results are described to families, and an implementation plan that includes teacher training and communications to parents. The board asked staff to consider approaches that avoid simply \"repeating the grade\" (promoting a student and doing nothing different) and to design interventions that provide different instruction or extended time rather than duplicating prior instruction.

Bottom line
The board directed staff to produce policy proposals and an implementation timeline that would make the identification and intervention process for struggling middle-school students more consistent across the district, with the stated goal of reducing the number of students entering high school without grade-level skills.
","District 11 area leaders presented a middle-school accountability plan focused on earlier identification and tiered intervention for students with low grades, low STAR growth percentiles or low STAR proficiency. The board gave unanimous direction for staff to develop policy options and return with recommendations.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District 11 unveils preliminary budget proposal that prioritizes classroom pay, trims central office

District 11 outlines $26 million Jenkins Middle School rebuild plan, aims for partial occupancy in August 2025

Board backs tighter middle-school accountability; staff to draft policy on early interventions