Public education in Colorado

in Colorado

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K-12 education in Colorado

Education facts

State superintendent: Katy Anthes

Number of students: 863,561

Number of teachers: 48,922

Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:18

Number of school districts: 181

Number of schools: 1,825

Graduation rate: 76.9%

Per-pupil spending: $8,647

See also

Colorado Department of Education • List of school districts in Colorado • Colorado • School boards portal

Public education in the United States Public education in Colorado Glossary of education terms

Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given are the most recent as of June 2015, with school years noted in the text or footnotes.

The Colorado public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2013 Colorado had 863,561 students enrolled in a total of 1,825 schools in 259 school districts. There were 48,922 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 18 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. There was roughly one administrator for every 294 students, compared to the national average of one administrator for every 295 students. On average Colorado spent $8,647 per pupil in 2013, which ranked it 40th highest in the nation. The state's graduation rate was 76.9 percent in 2013.^[1][2][3]

Common Core[edit]

Common Core, or the Common Core State Standards Initiative, is an American education initiative that outlines quantifiable benchmarks in English and mathematics at each grade level from kindergarten through high school. The Colorado State Board of Education adopted the standards on August 2, 2010. Full implementation was set to be achieved in the 2013-2014 academic year.^[4][5]

In January 2015 the Colorado Board of Education voted to endorse a bill that would have removed the state from Common Core standards and assessments. If passed, the bill would also offer districts more testing flexibility in addition to reducing the number of state assessments. The state would also be required to update its standards periodically. However, as of July 2015, that bill had not been passed.^[6]

General information[edit]

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how Colorado compares to three neighboring states with respect to the number of students, schools, teachers per pupil and administrators per pupil for the 2012-2013 school year. The chart also displays that information at the national level. Further comparisons between these states with respect to performance and financial information are given in other sections of this page. Compared to three neighboring states, Colorado's per pupil education spending was the lowest at $8,647.

Schools by type[edit]

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School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

See also: Number of schools by school type in the United States

Of the 98,454 schools in the United States, 89,031 were classified as regular schools. After regular schools, magnet schools and charter schools were the most prevalent non-traditional schools in the country, at 6,079 and 5,986, respectively.

The table below breaks down each of the different types of schools in Colorado and nearby states. Also listed are the numbers of schools in each state that are classified as "Title I" schools. These are public schools that have been specially targeted to correct achievement gaps in public schools.^[7]

In Colorado, there were 1,725 regular schools as of 2013. Charter schools were the second most prevalent type of school in the state, with 187 schools classified as such.

Demographics[edit]

See also: Demographic information for all students in all 50 states

The following table displays the ethnic distribution of students in Colorado as reported in the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data for 2012-2013.^[8]

During the 2012-2013 school year, just over half of all students in K-12 public schools nationwide were white. About a quarter of the students in the country were Hispanic, with black students making up about 16 percent of the student population.

In Colorado, the majority of students were white. White students totaled 480,366, which was about 55.63 percent of the student population in the state. There were 278,619 Hispanic students in the state, which was approximately 32.3 percent of the total student population in Colorado.

Enrollments by region type[edit]

See also: Student distribution by region type in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 30 percent of all public school students in the country attended city schools during the 2012-2013 school year. About 40 percent attended suburban schools. Approximately 11.5 percent of all students attended schools in towns, while about 18.7 percent attended rural schools.^[9]

A plurality of students in Colorado attended suburban schools during the 2012-2013 school year. Approximately 77 percent of the state's students attended city or suburban schools, compared to the approximately 23 percent who attended rural or town schools.

Academic performance[edit]

Education terms
For more information on education policy terms, see this article.
School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

NAEP scores[edit]

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The chart below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to three neighboring states (New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming), students in Colorado earned the highest scores in every category.^[10]

Graduation, ACT and SAT scores[edit]

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Colorado and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.^[10][11][12]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.^[13]

Colorado schools reported a graduation rate of 76.9 percent, second lowest among its neighboring states.

In Colorado, more students took the ACT than the SAT, earning an average ACT score of 20.4.

Dropout rate[edit]

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Colorado was higher than the national average at 5.1 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 4.9 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.

Educational choice options[edit]

See also: School choice in Colorado

School choice options in Colorado included charter schools, a limited, location-specific voucher program, open enrollment policies and online learning programs. In addition, about 6.50 percent of school-age children in the state attended private schools in the 2011-2012 academic year, and an estimated 2.67 percent were homeschooled in 2012-2013.

Developments[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term
Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.^[14]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.^[15]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

Colorado is one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

Education funding and expenditures[edit]

See also: Colorado state budget and finances

Breakdown of expenditures by function in fiscal year 2013
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.^[16][17]

Colorado spent approximately 26 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. The state school systems' revenue came primarily from local funds. Colorado spent more of its budget on public education than any of its neighboring states.

Revenue breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.^[17]

In Colorado, the primary source of school system revenue was local funding, at $4.4 billion. Colorado received more revenue from local sources than any of its neighboring states during fiscal year 2013.

Expenditure breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.^[18]

Public education expenditures in Colorado totaled approximately $8.5 billion in fiscal year 2012. Total public education expenditures in Colorado were higher than in any of its neighboring states.

Personnel salaries[edit]

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Colorado, the average salary decreased by 4.4 percent.^[20]

Organizations[edit]

State agencies[edit]

See also: Colorado Department of Education

The mission statement of the Colorado Department of Education reads as follows:^[21]

The Colorado Commissioner of Education is education department's executive officer. The commissioner is appointed by the Colorado State Board of Education.^[23]

The board of education is "charged by the Colorado Constitution with the general supervision of the public schools." The board's seven members are elected from each of the state's congressional districts. The education commissioner serves as a non-voting member of the board.^[24]

Unions[edit]

In 2012 the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Colorado ranked 35th overall for union power and influence, or "weak," which was in the fourth of five tiers.^[25]

The main unions related to the Colorado school system are the Colorado Education Association (CEA), an affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA), and the Colorado Federation of Teachers. CEA is the largest education association in the state. For the 2003 tax period CEA had: $10.5 million in total revenue, $10.1 million in total expenses and $7.9 million in total assets.^[26] For the same period, the Colorado Federation of Teachers had: $213,403 in total revenue, $221,663 in total expenses and $157,369 in total assets.^[27]

List of local Colorado school unions:^[28]

• Colorado Education Association
• Colorado Federation of Teachers
• Denver Classroom Teachers Association
• Colorado Springs Education Association
• Boulder Valley Education Association
• Pueblo Education Association
• Denver Federation of Teachers
• Cherry Creek Education Association
• Thompson Education Association
• Aurora Education Association

Taxpayer-funded lobbying[edit]

See also: Colorado government sector lobbying

The main education government sector lobbying organization is the Colorado Association of School Boards. Below is a list of major Colorado education government sector lobbying organizations:

• Colorado Association of School Executives
• Jefferson County Education Association
• Public Educators Advocating for Kids

Transparency[edit]

On June 4, 2009, Governor Ritter signed Colorado House Bill 1288, the "Colorado Taxpayer Transparency Act," into law. HB 1288 mandated the creation of an online spending database by no later than January 2010.^[29]

Studies and reports[edit]

State Budget Solutions education study[edit]

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

Quality Counts 2014[edit]

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 used six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

Colorado received a score of 82.9, or a B average in the "chance for success" category. This was above the national average. Excluding the chance for success category, the state's highest score was in transitions and alignment at 82.1, or a B- average. The lowest score was in the teaching profession at 68.6, or a D+ average. Colorado had the highest scores in both chance for success and K-12 achievement in comparison to its neighboring states. The chart below displays all of the scores of Colorado and its surrounding states.^[30]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

School districts[edit]

See also: School board elections portal

District types[edit]

Colorado school districts vary by region type. Some school districts correspond to specific cities or counties, and because of that, have stricter regulations when it comes to school board elections.^[31] All school districts in Colorado, however, are governed by an elected board of education, and they all have the power to levy ad valorem taxes for school purposes and to issue general obligation bonds after voter approval.^[32]

School board composition[edit]

School board members are elected by residents of the school district. School boards in Colorado may have five, six or seven members, those members may serve four-year or six-year terms and they may be elected by geographic district or at-large. School districts that are coterminous with a city and a county have stricter regulations. Those school boards must have a seven-member school board, and those members must serve four-year terms with five of them getting elected from geographic districts and two elected at-large.^[31]

If a vacancy occurs in a school board, the remaining members of the school board must adopt a resolution declaring such vacancy. The school board must then appoint a person to fill the vacancy within 60 days of the vacancy occurring. The newly appointed member will then serve the remainder of the unexpired term.^[33]

Term limits[edit]

The Colorado Term Limits Act, which was added to Article XVIII of the Colorado Constitution, limits any nonjudicial elected official of any county, city, town, school district or other political subdivision to serving no more than two consecutive terms in office. The power to change those limitations, by lengthening, shortening or eliminating them, was given to the voters of political subdivisions. Because of this, term limits for school board members vary by district.^[34]

Elections[edit]

See also: Colorado school board elections, 2021

Editor's note: Some school districts choose to cancel the primary election, or both the primary and general election, if the number of candidates who filed does not meet a certain threshold. The table below does not reflect which primary or general elections were canceled. Please click through to each school district's page for more information.

Path to the ballot[edit]

To qualify as a school board candidate in Colorado, an individual must:^[35]

• Be a registered voter in the corresponding school district for 12 consecutive months prior to the election.
• Be a resident of the corresponding geographic district, if the school district elects school board members by district.
• Not have been convicted of a sexual offense against a child.
• File a written notice of intention to run and a nominating petition with the secretary of the board of education in the corresponding school district no later than 67 days prior to the election.

Campaign finance[edit]

School board candidates are required to register a candidate committee if they plan to accept contributions. Candidate committees are not required if candidates only use their own money for campaigning. School board candidates are required to file disclosure reports for all expenditures made related to their campaign, whether they use their own money or contributions from other sources. All campaign finance documents and reports must be filed with the Colorado Secretary of State.^[36]

Recent legislation[edit]

The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Colorado state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

Education ballot measures[edit]

See also: Education on the ballot and List of Colorado ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.

1. Colorado Amendment 73, Establish Income Tax Brackets and Raise Taxes for Education Initiative (2018)
2. Colorado Control of Public Schools, Measure 15 (1912)
3. Colorado Department of Education Reorganization, Measure 1 (1948)
4. Colorado Education Funding and TABOR Rebates, Initiative 59 (2008)
5. Colorado Education Standards and Funding Reform, Initiative 6 (1992)
6. Colorado Elected State Board of Education, Measure 2 (1930)
7. Colorado Elected State Board of Education, Measure 6 (1928)
8. Colorado English Language Education, Initiative 31 (2002)
9. Colorado Examination of Teachers, Measure 21 (1912)
10. Colorado Excess State Revenues for Math and Science Grants, Referendum F (2000)
11. Colorado Funding for Public Schools, Initiative 23 (2000)
12. Colorado Horse Racetrack Limited Gaming Proceeds for K-12 Education, Amendment 68 (2014)
13. Colorado Income Tax Credit for Education, Initiative 17 (1998)
14. Colorado Institutions of Higher Education, Referendum 5 (1910)
15. Colorado Investing Public School Funds, Measure 7 (1916)
16. Colorado Location and Control of Higher Education Institutions, Measure 7 (1922)
17. Colorado Oil and Natural Gas Severance Taxes, Initiative 58 (2008)
18. Colorado One-Mill Levy for State Education Institutions, Measure 7 (1920)
19. Colorado Parental Rights, Initiative 17 (1996)
20. Colorado Prohibit Bussing to Schools Based on Race, Measure 8 (1974)
21. Colorado Proposition 119, Creation of Out-of-School Education Program and Marijuana Sales Tax Increase Initiative (2021)
22. Colorado Proposition CC, Retain Revenue for Transportation and Education TABOR Measure (2019)
23. Colorado Public School Funding Initiative (2014)
24. Colorado Required Distances from Schools in Certain Casino Gambling Jurisdictions Amendment (2014)
25. Colorado School Board Open Meetings, Proposition 104 (2014)
26. Colorado School District Spending Requirements, Initiative 39 (2006)
27. Colorado School District Spending Requirements, Referendum J (2006)
28. Colorado State Trust Lands, Initiative 16 (1996)
29. Colorado Student Loan Program, Measure 2 (1972)
30. Colorado Tax Increase for Education, Amendment 66 (2013)
31. Colorado Tax Limits, Measure 12 (1972)
32. Colorado Teachers' Summer Normal School, Measure 26 (1912)
33. Colorado University of Colorado Board of Regents, Measure 4 (1972)
34. Colorado Voting on County Superintendent of Schools, Measure 2 (1964)
35. Colorado Vouchers for Education, Initiative 7 (1992)

In the news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Colorado education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also[edit]

• Historical public education information in Colorado
• Colorado state budget and finances
• Colorado Department of Education
• List of school districts in Colorado
• School choice in Colorado
• Charter schools in Colorado
• Colorado
• Education Policy in the U.S.

External links[edit]

• Colorado Department of Education
• Colorado State Board of Education
• Colorado Commissioner of Education
• Colorado School Districts
• State Education, Federal Stimulus Funds - 2009
• Colorado School Performance
• School Accountability Reports
• Colorado Charter Schools
• Colorado School Choice Options

Additional reading[edit]

• Colorado Department of Education, "Colorado Report Card (State) -- NAEP Reading and Mathematics 2007," accessed October 13, 2009

Footnotes[edit]

	v • e State of Colorado Denver (capital)
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Government	Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy