Reject the Polis Stabilization Factor.
Don’t Mess With Our Students’ Success.
We cannot continue to balance the budget at the expense of our students and teachers.
In an attempt to balance the budget, Governor Polis has proposed eliminating enrollment averaging for school districts. Our schools need as much as $4 billion to be fully funded. Instead, the “Polis Stabilization Factor” would cut millions in funding.
What is student enrollment averaging?
- Averaging is how we count kids to be funded on a per pupil basis. Historically, districts have been funded based on a 5-year enrollment average.
- Currently, 142 (80%) of the 178 school districts in Colorado are funded on an enrollment average. Under this proposal, school districts on average would lose about 10-15% of their total budget, with some losing as much as 30% of their total budget.
School districts are funded on a per pupil basis but costs are not incurred on a per pupil basis. For example, a district could lose 10 students each in grades 3, 4 and 5 but that’s not enough to change the number of teachers, principals, custodians, cafeteria workers or bus drivers and certainly not enough to close a school.
Averaging vs. Single Count?
- Averaging for declining student enrollment is used by school districts to allow time to engage the community and adjust operations of the district. It also helps smooth out enrollment swings that sometimes districts can experience, such as COVID-19.
- A single count is not an accurate depiction of student enrollment and does not improve budgeting decisions for a district. For example, if 100 kids no longer attend school across 25 schools that does not change the number of staff and teachers needed in those buildings. District funding decisions only start to substantially change if the number of teachers or staff are having to be reduced. Schools can’t be closed or repurposed overnight.
Why is enrollment averaging important?
Enrollment averaging is a 30-year practice that provides stability and predictability for school districts and ensures students have the resources they need and deserve throughout the entire school year.
Enrollment averaging does not fund “phantom students”. In fact, just the opposite. Enrollment averaging enables districts to sustainably and appropriately invest in students to ensure they have the resources they need rather than districts being forced to constantly adjust to drastic swings in funding which creates an unstable and chaotic environment for students and staff.
Eliminating averaging would have a disproportionate and immediate impact on schools, leaving many students across the state without the resources they need as soon as the 2025-26 school year.
Additional Resources:
- After hopes of progress, some Colorado school districts fear deep cuts under Gov. Polis’ proposed budget
- Colorado schools with declining enrollment brace for “gut punch” as governor’s budget proposes funding cuts
- How much more money would Colorado need to adequately teach students? New studies say $3.5 billion to $4.1 billion
- Colorado school leaders speak out against $150 million cut to education funding