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A Message from Superintendent Kane

Erin Kane

Here in the Douglas County School District (DCSD), we have so much to celebrate! The Class of 2024 earned more than $131 million in scholarships. And, 46 of our schools received an award for academic achievement and growth from the Colorado Department of Education. In addition, for the first time in a decade, DCSD is the top-scoring school district in the Denver/ Metro area! We are one of the only districts in the country to have met or exceeded our 2019 (pre-pandemic) scores in every subject and grade.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
As we celebrate the 2023-2024 school year, it’s also important to plan for the future. We are faced with growing challenges in our school district, including capital investment for the future and the need for new schools.

We are incredibly thankful to the voters of Douglas County who said yes to a Mill Levy Override (5A) in 2023. This has enabled us to pay our teachers and staff more competitively and to further enhance safety and security in
our schools. Unfortunately, however, our Bond initiative (5B) was narrowly defeated. Bond funding is critical in ensuring we have safe and comfortable schools for all of our kids (today and in the future).

Not addressing capital investment needs leads to challenges, including the following.

  • This year we used $20M of reserves for emergency capital needs, however, the backlog is $300M which will continue to grow by an average of $35M per year. One-time reserves are only a temporary solution.
  • Without capital funding, taxpayer dollars will be expended on avoidable and reactive measures due to aging infrastructure.
  • Without new schools in growing communities, we will be forced to address overcrowding with mobile classrooms and boundary changes in existing neighborhoods, moving children further away from their own neighborhood schools.

This is why I, along with members of my Cabinet, are recommending to our Board of Education that a Bond be placed on the 2024 ballot.

View the 2024 DCSD Bond Plan. 

Thank you for taking some time to review this plan to learn more about how our school district is funded and about our needs and challenges. 

Sincerely,

Erin Kane
Superintendent
Douglas County School District