Founded in 1995, the Colorado School Finance Project (CSFP) is a non-profit whose mission is to compile, collect, and distribute research-based, non-partisan information and data on topics related to school finance for state and local policymakers.
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2024 Colorado Adequacy Study
Reports:
School Finance Input Adequacy Study Report (PDF)
School Finance Input Adequacy Study Appendices (PDF)
School Finance Cost-Modeling Adequacy Study Report (PDF)
School Finance Cost-Modeling Adequacy Study Executive Summary (PDF)
School Finance Cost-Modeling Adequacy Study Appendices (PDF)
Resources:
Individual district fact sheets
Individual district Presentations
June Advisory Meeting - June 13, 2025
Recording of Meeting
Mill Levy Resources
• Types of Mill Levies for Schools
• Why Local Funding Matters
• Individual District Mill Levy Information
May CSFP Advisory Meeting - May 16, 2025
Recording of meeting
Legislative Update - Legislative Council
CSFP Presentation to Southeast BOCES Principals - May 13, 2025
CSFP Presentation to Superintendent Advisory Committee - May 1, 2025
Strategic School Finance Training: Alamosa, CO - May 1-2, 2025
Agenda
New School Finance Act and State Budget (CSFP)
Strategic Budgeting and Putting it Into Action (CDE / CSFP)
Grants Management (CDE)
Fund Balance and Budgeting Strategy (CDE)
Staffing, Compensation, FSLA Compliance (CDE)
Chart of Accounts (CDE)
Accounting Basics (CDE)
CSFP presentation to PEBC Lunch and Learn - April 28, 2025
CSFP at CASBO Conference - April 24, 2025
April CSFP Advisory Meeting - April 18, 2025
Voter Sentiment with Magellan Strategies
Colorado Fiscal Outlook with CFI/Bell Policy
CSFP at Western Slope Superintendents Conference - April 17, 2025
CSFP at BOCES Quarterly Meeting - April 15, 2025
CSFP at Southern Superintendents Conference - April 3, 2025
March Economic Forecast - March 17, 2025
• Legislative Council Economic and Revenue Forecast Report
• Legislative Council Economic and Revenue Forecast Presentation
• Legislative Council Consumer Price Index Forecast
• OSPB Colorado Economic and Fiscal Outlook Presentation
• OSPB Colorado Economic and Fiscal Outlook Report
• OSPB Colorado Outlook Supplemental Materials
March CSFP Advisory Meeting - March 7, 2025
Recording of meeting
PERA Update presentation
Presentation from the State Demographer
New NCES Designation vs Previous spreadsheet
NCES Locale Designation vs CDE Designation
Strategic School Finance Training: Haxtun, CO - February 20-21, 2025
Agenda
Workshop Tool
New School Finance Act and State Budget (CSFP)
Strategic Budgeting and Putting it Into Action (CDE / CSFP)
Grants Management (CDE)
Staffing, Compensation, FSLA Compliance (CDE)
Chart of Accounts (CDE)
Accounting Basics (CDE)
Budgeting Strategy (CDE)
CSFP at CASE Winter Leadership Conference - February 19, 2025
February CSFP Advisory Meeting - February 7, 2025
Recording of Meeting
AIR Presentation on the Adequacy Study
APA Presentation on the Adequacy Study
BEST grant Updates
Special Education and the Adequacy Study
Strategic School Finance Training: Greeley, CO - January 30-31, 2025
Agenda
Workshop Tool
New School Finance Act and State Budget (CSFP)
Strategic Budgeting and Putting it Into Action (CDE / CSFP)
Grants Management (CDE)
Staffing, Compensation, FSLA Compliance (CDE)
Chart of Accounts (CDE)
Accounting Basics (CDE)
Budgeting Strategy (CDE)
January CSFP Advisory Meeting - January 10, 2025
Recording of Meeting
School Finance Update - Legislative Council Staff
Adequacy Study Presentation - Justin Silverstein, APA
District Runs Spreadsheet on Averaging Proposal
Ouray Proposed Budget
CSFP'S ANNUAL STATE PROFILE REPORT
The 2024 State Profile compares audited data noting changes between 2022-23 to the base year of 1992.
1. 2024 State Profile Overview (1-page overview)
2. 2024 State Profile Charts & Highlights (2 pages)
3. The 2024 State Profile Report (7 pages) includes a historical look at:
- Enrollment in K-12: Enrollment, Special Education, Free & Reduced Lunch, Emergent Bilinguals (English Language Learners according to CDE), and gifted students
- Teachers: Number of teachers, teachers per 1,000 students, average salary (comparing CO and National)
- Per Student Current Spending and Revenue
- Relationship between state/local revenue for K-12 and personal income
December Economic Forecast + K12 Enrollment Forecast - December 19, 2024
• Legislative Council Economic and Revenue Forecast Report
• Legislative Council Economic and Revenue Forecast Presentation
• Legislative Council Consumer Price Index Forecast
• OSPB Colorado Economic and Fiscal Outlook Presentation
• OSPB Colorado Economic and Fiscal Outlook Report
• OSPB Colorado Outlook Supplemental Materials
JBC Briefings and Hearings for CDEC and CDE
Early Childhood:
FY 2025-26 Early Childhood Staff Budget Briefing
FY 2025-26 Early Childhood Staff Budget Briefing *SUMMARY*
FY 2025-26 Early Childhood Hearing
Dept of Ed:
FY 2025-26 Education [(Assistance to Public Schools (Public School Finance/ Categorical Programs)] Staff Budget Briefing
FY 2025-26 Education [(Assistance to Public Schools (Public School Finance/ Categorical Programs)] Staff Budget Briefing *SUMMARY*
FY 2025-26 Education (All Divisions except Public School Finance/ Categorical Programs) Staff Budget Briefing *SUMMARY*
FY 2025-26 Education (All Divisions except Public School Finance/ Categorical Programs) Staff Budget Briefing
FY 2025-26 Education Hearing
CSFP at the CASB Winter Convention - December 5-6, 2024
School Finance 101
School Finance 201
Strategic Budgeting Session
November 2024 Election Results- certified on Nov 27th, 2024
History of MLO District Map
November CSFP Advisory Meeting - November 15, 2024
Recording of Meeting
Governor's Budget
Universal Preschool Update
Helpful Links:
Property Tax Background and Talking Points
Interim Committees:
Property Tax Task Force - Access all information HERE.
School Finance Task Force - Access all information HERE.
School Transportation Task Force - Access all information HERE.
Override Mill Levy Match Working Group - Access all information HERE.
March/April What We're Reading:
"Colorado lawmakers delay budget introduction as they agonize over final cuts", Brian Eason, Colorado Sun, March 24, 2025.
"New school funding proposal in Colorado would soften the cuts for K-12", Jenny Brundin, CPR, March 26, 2025.
"Colorado House Speaker’s school finance plan seeks a compromise on enrollment-averaging", Jason Gonzalez, Chalkbeat, April 1, 2025.
"Dems seeking to axe TABOR; GOP plans to fight proposed changes", Nick Coltrain and Seth Klamann, Denver Post, April 1, 2025.
"Colorado taxpayers may have to pay for lawyers on both sides of Democrats’ lawsuit to dismantle TABOR", Jesse Paul, Colorado Sun, April 7, 2025.
"State districts curtail teacher raises - K-12 area schools face increasing uncertainty in state and federal funding", Jessica Seaman, Denver Post, April 21, 2025.