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Superintendent flags federal funding uncertainty as district starts conservative budget; $15 million film production underway in schools
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Gatto told the board the district is monitoring federal budget moves and potential Department of Education layoffs while district staff are preparing a conservative, lean budget. She also updated the board on a $15,000,000 feature film production filming in the district and the film commission's incentives on the project.
Superintendent Dr. Gatto told the Westminster Public Schools Board of Education on March 11 that the district is closely watching federal budget developments and preparing for possible impacts on federal education funding as it finalizes its local budget.
"Without a continuing resolution, the government could shut down on Friday and leave a lot of funding questions up in the air," Dr. Gatto said, and she added that the Department of Education has begun "major layoffs possibly as high as 50%" according to the reports the district has been monitoring. "The impacts of that are very much up in the air," she said.
Locally, Dr. Gatto said district staff completed the budget review cycle using 0-based budgeting and allowed a 2% increase in funding requests; the district is taking a conservative approach and preparing a lean budget for final consideration in late May or June.
Dr. Gatto also updated the board on a commercial film production filming in the district. She said the feature film—identified in the meeting as "The Man Who Changed the World"—is a $15,000,000 project that has converted part of a former high school into a soundstage and will provide students access to behind‑the‑scenes learning opportunities.
The presentation to the board stated the Colorado Film Commission invested $1,800,000 in incentives for the project and that the production company received state tax incentives as part of the agreement to film in the district. Dr. Gatto said the project would bring local economic activity and educational experiences for students in careers associated with filmmaking.
The superintendent said the district will continue monitoring the state legislature’s budget deliberations and federal developments and will update the board as new information becomes available.
At the close of the report Dr. Gatto noted district communications and partnerships—including the Westminster Public Schools Foundation’s recent fundraising events and scholarships—while reiterating the district’s conservative posture toward budgeting amid federal uncertainty.
