Superintendent and board emphasize state funding shortfall as staff reduction risk

Superintendent (name not specified) and multiple board members described ongoing budget uncertainty tied to the state funding outlook, saying the district faces potential staff reductions that would affect teacher and support positions.

The superintendent told the board they had reviewed advocacy work at the legislature during a prior work study session and that emerging funding assumptions align with the district's budget plan. Still, the superintendent said principals and other staff are awaiting final decisions about who will be retained next year. "There are still a number of folks that as school principals develop budgets, will be informed later this week and in the next week about whether they're returning for next year or not," the superintendent said.

Board members framed the issue as a state funding problem. Director Potter said the district is "at a hard time" and thanked staff and the community for support. Director Marsh Holshin said she joined staff advocacy at the Capitol and the Colorado system of school funding "is not acceptable," calling for state-level change. Director Assad Lucas and others described the human impact of potential cuts: "These losses...are not just positions, but these are relationships that we're losing," Assad Lucas said, emphasizing relationships matter for student outcomes.

Public comment and board remarks at this meeting connected the budget uncertainty to staffing and program concerns; multiple speakers urged greater state funding and highlighted students' academic and extracurricular successes despite financial strain.

Next steps: Board members said they would continue advocacy at the state level and district staff will continue budget planning and notifications to principals and staff as budgets are finalized.