Pueblo D60 warns reserves drained as board debates options to preserve preschool slots

Pueblo School District No. 60 officials told the school board on April 8 that the district is facing a tight fiscal picture and will need staffing adjustments to remain solvent, touching off a heated, multi‑hour discussion about universal preschool funding and reserve policy.

Superintendent Dr. Kimsey told the board that the district began the fiscal year with roughly $35.8 million in reserves, budgeted general fund revenues near $184 million and expenditures of about $178 million. She said that reserves were down about 44% in one year and that the district must fund the second year of contractual pay raises in the 2025‑26 budget cycle.

"For this fiscal year, we need to really get skinny," Dr. Kimsey said, describing measures taken to limit spending, cancel travel and cut consultant contracts. She said some funds in reserves are committed — for example, approximately $3.4 million from prior Colorado Preschool Program (CPP) allocations that CDE indicated must be used for preschool facilities — and that those restrictions reduce the available unassigned balance.

On preschool, the superintendent presented a short‑term plan that would reduce classrooms to one preschool classroom per elementary school, staff two…