Frequently Asked Questions
See below for the answers to the questions we are hearing from voters. You can also ask our chat bot a question or share our podcast.
Q. Why is the District going to the voters with a bond question?
A. On August 27th, the DCSD Board of Education voted unanimously to put a bond proposal (5A) on the November Ballot. 5Athat will address the District’s $300 million capital needs backlog, provide safety and security upgrades at every school, and build new elementary schools in rapidly growing neighborhoods. The needs of the District’s 111 buildings become more expensive each year: aging equipment such as boilers and chillers, crowded schools that require the use of modular classrooms, and bus rides up to 45 minutes for students in newer communities without a neighborhood school.
Q. Will 5A raise tax rates?
A. By 5A, the District can provide safety and security upgrades, address its capital improvement backlog and fund new elementary schools, without raising property tax rates. DCSD has issued several Bonds over the years. As these are repaid, the district can take on new debt under better financial conditions without increasing the tax rate. Refinancing debt is considered fiscally responsible and best practice.
Q. What will happen if voters don’t pass 5A in 2024?
A. If the school bond isn’t passed this election, the district faces serious financial and operational risks. Our schools have $300 million in deferred maintenance, with critical equipment already beyond repair. Without new funding, repairs and maintenance will be delayed, leading to even higher costs and potentially catastrophic failures. This will force the district to dip into reserves, which isn’t fiscally responsible. Additionally, the total capital improvement backlog will continue to grow by $35 million each year, further straining resources. Without voter-approved funds, the district will continue spending $1 million annually on temporary modular classrooms to manage overcrowding and our outdated bus fleets will struggle to meet student needs. This year is the last opportunity to restructure debt without increasing our taxes—if we miss it, future funding requests could come with a significant financial burden, making it riskier for homeowners. To manage costs effectively, passing this bond and future smaller bonds regularly is crucial for maintaining safe schools and fostering educational growth. For example, when Douglas County was booming in the 1980s through 2000s, the community passed seven bonds in 22 years, which has been pivotal to DCSD’s success.
Q. How old are the buildings in the Douglas County School District (DCSD)?
A. The age of buildings in the district are between 7 and 72 years, with the average age being 29 years. This age range means that maintaining and repairing these buildings is becoming increasingly expensive, as more items need to be replaced rather than simply repaired.
Q. What if I don’t have kids in school, what does this do for me?
A. School bonds aren’t just about supporting public education—they are an investment in the entire Douglas County community. Exceptional schools keep property values high, making our area attractive to homebuyers and maintaining a stable tax base. A well-funded school system also prepares a skilled local workforce, which is crucial for attracting businesses and driving economic growth. This leads to more job opportunities and a stronger local economy. Additionally, quality education reduces crime rates and lowers the need for social services, saving taxpayers money in the long run. By supporting this bond, we’re not just investing in our children’s future, but in the future prosperity and safety of our entire community, ensuring it remains vibrant and thriving for generations. Littleton.
Q. How many buildings does DCSD maintain, and what are the annual costs?
A. The district maintains 111 buildings, with annual repair and maintenance costs averaging $35 million. The funds from the 2018 Bond lasted until 2021, and the district has faced a backlog of maintenance needs since then and will continue to incur each year a Bond is not passed.
Q. Which schools will benefit from the 5A?
A. All neighborhood, charter, magnet, and alternative schools in the district will benefit from the Bond funding. You can check what your specific school will get here.
Q. When was the last new neighborhood school built in DCSD?
A. The last new neighborhood school in DCSD was built in 2010.
Q. How is funding for schools determined?
A. Public schools, including those in DCSD, receive most of their funding from state allocations and local property taxes. The state determines the per student funding for each district and then local revenues, primarily from property taxes, are used first, and the state provides the remainder. The per student funding total does not change, only how much of that amount is provided locally versus by the state. For funding beyond the state’s allocation, school districts in Colorado often seek voter approval through local tax revenue measures; Mill levy overrides (voters passed this in 2023, for which everyone in the DCSD was thankful) which raise property tax rates for operating expenses and Bonds which can only be used for capital expenses, such as significant repairs, renovations, school expansions, and building new schools. Bonds cannot be used for operating expenses like salaries.
Q. With rising property taxes, isn’t the school district receiving more funding?
A. No, the increase in local property taxes does not result in additional funding for our schools. According to the Colorado School Finance Act, when local revenue increases, the state reduces its contribution to local school districts accordingly, meaning the total funding remains unchanged. If a District’s amount of state funding were a bucket, local funds fill the bucket first, and the state fills in the rest. The size of the bucket doesn’t change and the total amount of funding stays the same. The only way to increase the total funding for operational expenses is through a Mill Levy Override and the only way to increase what we spend on capital projects and upkeep is with a voter-approved bond.
Q. Can’t the district reduce administrative costs instead?
A. DCSD already has the lowest administrative costs among school districts in the Denver Metro area on a per student basis. The District often spends from reserves to keep up with capital expenditures, repairs,. According to the Colorado Department of Education, DCSD spends $63 per student on general administrative costs, which is far lower than each of its counterparts in the Metro area – Denver ($184), Boulder ($149), Littleton ($149), and Cherry Creek ($130). In fact, DCSD’s general administrative costs comprise just .06% of its total budget.
Q. Will this additional funding result in more money from the state?
A. No, the funds raised locally through MLOs or Bonds are separate from the state's per-student funding. These local funds do not affect the amount of per-student revenue the state allocates to the district.
Q. How were the expenditures in the bond proposals determined?
A. The bond package is the result of considerable community input, recommendations from DCSD leadership, and spending plans unanimously approved by the Board of Education. In February 2022, DCSD convened the 24-member Mill Bond Exploratory Committee (MBEC) to make recommendations to DSCD on funding needs. These community members conducted a comprehensive 15-month process that included school visits, hours of public input and ultimately a formal report that was presented to the DCSD board of education.
Q. Why is DCSD proposing to build new schools when overall district enrollment has slightly declined in recent years?
A. While overall enrollment has slightly declined in recent years, some areas of our school district are experiencing tremendous growth with new homes that are marketed to young families. New schools are needed to avoid continued overflow busing to already overcrowded classrooms. While in some parts of Highlands Ranch DCSD schools are under attended, there are no schools in fast-growing communities like Sterling Ranch and RidgeGate. Whether by school bus or by car, students in these parts of Douglas County currently travel up to 45 minutes each way to and from schools in surrounding communities. New elementary schools and the expansion of Sierra Middle School will address student growth where it’s happening, shorten bus routes and provide our kids with safe, adequate spaces to learn.
Q. Can’t DCSD add more modular classrooms to prevent overcrowding?
A. Modular classrooms are not part of the District’s long-term strategy to address our growing student population. DCSD uses trailer-like mobile classrooms to provide temporary additional capacity at some schools. However, the number of additional seats provided by these mobile classrooms is very limited. Also, these structures are not of the same quality as permanent construction. They are made of plywood, not as well insulated as a school building, and often have no restrooms or drinking fountains. These are an expensive temporary fix and the cost of these structures is much higher than maintaining a standard classroom.
