The Future of a World-Class Eagle County School District Depends on Action From Us
Strong Schools Start with Us
Your friends at the Education Foundation of Eagle County (EFEC) are building tremendous momentum, currently working alongside the Eagle County School District (ECSD) in exploring a potential Mill Levy Override election this Fall.
Why MLO?
State of Colorado support alone is not enough to sustain our schools. We have fallen behind communities in similar mountain towns. We are in a funding crisis, and we are the solution.
What is a Mill Levy Overide?
It’s a Local Solution:
Under State of Colorado rules, ECSD can seek up to $10.6 million in funding through a local mill levy override. A local property tax increase bypasses state formula constraints. If approved by local voters, these locally-generated, incremental general fund revenues would:
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Retain and recruit the best and brightest teachers and staff.
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Provide critical support services including mental health counseling and intervention specialists.
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Maintain curriculum materials and programs, including career and college exploration.
Per $1 million in home value, the average increase to the taxpayer will be $133 per year.
The MLO would move us from last place to the middle of the pack among our peer districts. The increase would move us from 30th place in the state for teacher pay to 15th place.
How Education Funding Works in Colorado: A breakdown - The Education Foundation of Eagle County
What We Know
We understand tax fatigue. And that’s why we’re ensuring a small property tax increase ($133/year or $11/month per $,00,000 assessed home value). We also understand that our community loves its teachers and its kids and the importance of getting them the financial help they need NOW.
Recent community polling showed:
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ECSD has a 63% favorable image rating and a 62% job approval.
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Teacher/staff compensation is identified as the clear top priority for our new superintendent, imperative to improving test scores and quantifiable results.
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54% do agree that it's important to support the school district at the local level through a property tax increase.
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On a scale of 1-10, the top priorities when thinking about school district funding are: maintaining programs; compensation; restoring staff levels; curriculum materials.
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College and career exploration programs for our students are popular and essential to Eagle County’s next generation workforce.
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There is over 50% recognition that the state-funding model is broken and local property tax increases are necessary.
How Will a MLO Make the Difference for Our Schools?
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The financial moment facing ECSD requires the same kind of triage used in an emergency room: you assess what is bleeding the most and act immediately to stop it. In this case, funding is the life-threatening issue. Every lens, every strategic decision, and every leadership move must be evaluated through whether it stabilizes community trust, preserves capacity, and gives the ECSD the best possible chance of securing sustainable funding.
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Our lens is student-focused - fewer school days are not good for students and not good for community stability, growth, and working parents.
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Teacher and program retention is the priority need for our students!
Education Foundation of Eagle County
The Education Foundation of Eagle County is committed to supporting public education and the intellectual and emotional growth of students, specifically focusing on in-school enrichment, mental health support services, and efforts to retain top teacher talent. EFEC’s top priority is to maintain an excellent learning experience for students by supporting teachers and schools in Eagle County.
