In FY 2009-10, Colorado’s legislature created a new factor in the school finance formula due to the Great Recession and economic downturn that put pressure on the state’s budget. The factor is a state budget tool that proportionally reduces the amount of total funding for each school district. The factor reduces state aid to districts.
Fourteen Years of Budget Stabilization by District -2009 to 2023 (Inclusive of Budget Stabilization Factor, Negative Factor, and Mid-Year Recissions)
Colorado’s legislature has renamed the factor over the years:
- FY2009-10: new factor. HB10-1369 created the new factor.
- FY2010-11: State Budget Stabilization Factor. The Federal Government awarded Federal ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) Funds and Education Jobs Funding which reduced the State Budget Stabilization Factor’s impact to school districts for that year. SB11-230 changed the name of the new factor to the Negative Factor and extended the factor indefinitely.
- FY2011-12 to FY2016-17: Negative Factor
- FY2017-18 to present: Budget Stabilization Factor (aka BS Factor)
Information regarding school district budget cut conversations is available on the District Budget Cut Discussions page.
Budget Stabilization / Negative Factor by Fiscal Year
Budget Stabilization / Negative Factor by fiscal year (source: CDE Funding Workbook, FY2023-24)
- FY23-24: $141.2M
- FY22-23: $321.2M
- FY21-22: $503.2M
- FY20-21: $1.052B
- FY19-20: $572.4M
- FY18-19: $672.4M
- FY17-18: $828.3M
- FY16-17: $828M
- FY15-16: $830.7M
- FY14-15: $880M
- FY13-14: $1.004B
- FY12-13: $1.011B
- FY11-12: $774M
- FY10-11: $381M (State Budget Stabilization Factor: $-597M) + (Federal ARRA Funds and EDU jobs: $216M) = $-381M
- FY09-10: $130M
2023-24 Budget Stabilization Factor
2022-23 Budget Stabilization Factor
2021-22 Budget Stabilization Factor
2020-21 Budget Stabilization Factor
Updated 2020-21 Budget Stabilization Factor Tables Twelve Years of Colorado K-12 School Funding Cuts 2009-2021 (Inclusive of Budget Stabilization Factor, Negative Factor, and Mid-Year Recissions)
2008-2021 Budget Stabilization Factor GraphCSFP'S 2020 Budget Stabilization Informational Toolkit:
- Interactive District Snapshot Tool (Google Sheets)
- Interactive District Snapshot Tool (Excel workbook)
- Interactive Percentage Cut Tool (Google Sheets)
- Interactive Percentage Cut Tool (Excel workbook)
- Budget Stabilization Factor by District Total Program - Pre-BSF, Current BSF, Additional 5% in BSF
- Budget Stabilization Factor by District Total Program - Additional 10% in BSF and Additional 15% in BSF
- Attachment E: BSF by District- Percent when hitting base
- Budget Stabilization Factor as a Percent: Looking at Potential Consequences in 2020-21
- 2008-2021 Budget Stabilization Factor: Looking at Potential Consequences in 2020-21
- 2008-2021 Budget Stabilization Factor Graph
2019-20 Budget Stabilization Factor
Eleven Years of Colorado K-12 School Funding Cuts 2009-10 to 2019-20 (PDF) by county, district (inclusive of mid-year cuts, state budget stabilization, negative factor, and budget stabilization factor) as of May 2019. Total lost revenue: $8,129,000,000 ($8.1B). During the 2017 Legislative Session the Legislature renamed the Negative Factor to the Budget Stabilization Factor.
Budget Stabilization Factor Statewide Total: 2009-10 to current year graph Colorado's Legislative Council
Map of the Budget Stabilization Factor's impact on per-pupil funding in Colorado school districts FY 2019-20
2018-19 Budget Stabilization Factor
March 2019 (projected): A Decade of Colorado K-12 School Funding Cuts 2018-19 to 2009-10 (PDF) by county, district (inclusive of mid-year cuts, state budget stabilization, negative factor, and budget stabilization factor) - as of March 2019. Total lost revenue: $7,556,000,000 ($7.6B). During the 2017 Legislative Session the Legislature renamed the Negative Factor to the Budget Stabilization Factor.
Map of the Budget Stabilization Factor's impact on per-pupil funding in Colorado school districts FY 2018-19
2017-18 Budget Stabilization Factor
A Decade of Colorado K-12 School Funding Cuts 2018-19 to 2009-10 (PDF) by county, district (inclusive of mid-year cuts, state budget stabilization, negative factor, and budget stabilization factor) - updated May 2018. Total lost revenue: $7,300,000,000 ($7.3B). During the 2017 Legislative Session the Legislature renamed the Negative Factor to the Budget Stabilization Factor.
From Legislative Council Staff's School Finance Booklet April 2018 (for 2017-18): The 2017 Legislature renamed the Negative Factor to the Budget Stabilization Factor.
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What is the Budget Stabilization Factor? for FY2017-18, page 13. Adjustments range from $673 to $2,016.
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Legislative Council Staff's School Finance Booklet, April 2018 is available here.
2016-17 Budget Stabilization Factor
During the 2017 Legislative Session, the Legislature renamed the Negative Factor to the Budget Stabilization Factor.
From Legislative Council's School Finance Booklet April 2017:
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What is the Negative Factor? for FY 2016-17, pg 12. Adjustments range from $750 to just under $2,000.
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Map of the Negative Factor per Pupil Funding Decrease, FY 2016-17 (jpg)
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Legislative Council's School Finance Booklet, April 2017
2015-16 Negative Factor
We'll be adding content soon.
2014-15 Negative Factor
Negative Factor / Rescissions FY 2014-15: $880,000,000 June 2014 – District Budget Conversations for the 2014-15 School Year Three Years of Negative Factor by District – FY 2011-12 thru FY 2013-14. Totals by district and Fiscal Year. Data Source: CDE.
2013-14 Negative Factor
Three Years of Negative Factor by District – FY 2011-12 thru FY 2013-14. Totals by district and Fiscal Year. Data Source: CDE