Mill oversight committee to form
A Debt-Free Mill Levy Oversight Committee will form in early 2025 to monitor how the district uses funding collected from the voter-approved 2024 mill levy. An application to serve on the committee will become available in January.
Mill Projects Update to the Board of Education on Dec. 10
Thank you for your support!
We are incredibly thankful and honored that voters have supported a mill levy measure that will keep our district strong and sustainable for the near future. See a "Thank You, Voters" video here >>
The mill levy will allow PSD to:
- Better fund maintenance and renovations to extend the useful life of buildings.
- Add air-conditioning systems to schools that do not currently have A/C.
- Improve staff pay to recruit and retain top talent.
- Support our smaller neighborhood schools.
- Invest more in classroom curriculum materials, technology, music, athletics, and more.
- Expand Career and Technical Education opportunities.
By passing this measure, you have entrusted us with a great responsibility. PSD is committed to transparency with all funding, including the dollars that will be raised through the mill levy measure. A community oversight committee will be created to ensure funds are used appropriately, and a web page—similar to those created for past measures—will show how funds are being allocated. Please continue to visit this web page and our social media channels for updates.
As we consider the recent election results, we understand that changes on national, state and local levels can bring a range of emotions and responses across our community. No matter these outcomes, PSD remains steadfast in its mission to support every student, every day. The values we share as a district—fostering growth, inclusion, and opportunity— will continue to guide us forward as we serve our students, families, and staff with dedication.
Mill levy to support teachers, classrooms, curriculum, neighborhood schools and building upkeep
At their Aug. 27, 2024, meeting, the Poudre School District Board of Education voted unanimously to refer a mill levy question to the Nov. 5 ballot. The measure will provide $49 million per year, increasing by the rate of inflation, to maintain schools as part of the Colorado Debt Free Schools Act. This act allows school districts to seek voter approval to fund school construction and maintenance needs through an additional mill levy. During the district's long-range planning process last spring, the Board heard feedback from members of the public that encouraged seeking a mill levy as part of the district's ongoing effort to address financial challenges.
This mill levy will provide $49 million per year to:
- Create a dedicated revenue source to improve and extend the useful life of the district’s buildings.
- Allow the district to reprioritize more of its general fund for recruitment and retention of teachers and staff, classroom resources, career and technical education and neighborhood schools.
Information sessions in September and October
The district hosted a series of community information sessions in September and October. These were open to the public to learn more about the ballot measure and how it would impact the PSD system. Each session shared the same information.
Information sessions were held:
- Monday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m., Poudre High School Theater, 201 S. Impala Dr., Fort Collins
- Thursday, Sept. 26, at 5:30 p.m., Fossil Ridge High School Performing Arts Center, 5400 Ziegler Road, Fort Collins
- Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 6 p.m., Timnath Middle-High School Auditorium, 4700 Prospect Road, Timnath
- Thursday, Oct. 3, at 5:30 p.m., Wellington Middle-High School Auditorium, 2856 Cleveland Ave., Wellington
- Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 6 p.m., Rocky Mountain High School Theater, 1300 W. Swallow Road, Fort Collins
- Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 5:30 p.m., Fort Collins High School Theater, 3400 Lambkin Way, Fort Collins
- Thursday, Oct. 17, at 5:30 p.m. at the Future Ready Center inside Foothills Mall
The information sessions were offered for transparency purposes only; these were not campaign events.
Simultaneous interpretation and translation via the district’s Instant Language Assistant (ILA) devices will be available at all sessions. If you would like oral interpretation, please bring wireless headphones that connect to your device to listen to the presentation.
More On Funding
Specifically, funds will be used to:
Impacts to schools if this question is passed
This funding will be used in schools and classrooms and dedicated to the district’s vision of supporting and inspiring every child to think, to learn, to care and to graduate prepared to be successful in a changing world. See how the mill levy will impact your school in this table. >>
Estimated tax impact of mill levy
The financial impact of this mill levy on homeowners if the mill passes is as follows:
|
Residential Home Value |
Tax Increase per Year |
Tax Increase per Month |
|
$300,000 |
$75.63 |
$6.30 |
|
$400,000 |
$100.84 |
$8.40 |
|
$500,000 |
$126.05 |
$10.50 |
|
$600,000 |
$151.26 |
$12.60 |
|
$700,000 |
$176.47 |
$14.70 |
For businesses, which are assessed at a rate of 27.9% compared to 6.7% for residential properties, the tax increase would be $113.92/year per $100,000 of non-residential value.
The financial impact of this mill levy on homeowners if the mill fails is as follows:
|
Residential Home Value |
Tax Decrease per Year |
Tax Decrease per Month |
|
$300,000 |
$110 |
$9.16 |
|
$400,000 |
$147 |
$12.25 |
|
$500,000 |
$184 |
$15.33 |
|
$600,000 |
$220 |
$18.33 |
|
$700,000 |
$258 |
$21.50 |
For businesses, which are assessed at a rate of 27.9% compared to 6.7% for residential properties, the tax decrease would be $166/year per $100,000 of non-residential value.
Informational Resources
Budget Presentations
- Dec. 10 budget update to the board >>
- Oct. 8 board presentation about district expenditures >>
- Sept. 24 presentation about bond and mill levies in Colorado >>
- Sept. 10 presentation about school finance >>
- Excerpts from the Sept. 10 presentation:
Debt-Free Mill Facts
Bond-Funded Projects Completed, Upcoming Maintenance Projects
Polling results about potential ballot measures
The Board of Education engaged a third-party polling firm to learn more from prospective voters about potential ballot measures being considered for ballot referral. New Bridge Strategy conducted two polls in May and June of 2024.
Additionally, a survey was conducted in association with a letter distributed by the Board to the community in July 2024. See the online community survey results >>
Deadline for ballot proposal decision
The deadline to move forward with a ballot decision was Friday, Sept. 6. At their Aug. 27, 2024, meeting, the Board voted unanimously to refer a mill levy question to the Nov. 5 ballot.
Mill levy funding goals
Attract and Retain Great Teachers
Attracting and retaining the best teachers and support staff by maintaining competitive salaries and providing necessary classroom materials.
Our district faces challenges attracting and keeping exceptional teachers and staff because of the high cost of living and housing. The average PSD teacher salary is less than similar districts along the Front Range—about $4,000 less than St. Vrain Valley Schools—and getting closer to the pay offered in similar Front Range districts will help attract and keep highly-qualified teachers.
Invest in Classrooms and Curriculum
Providing the well-rounded education that today’s students will need for tomorrow’s jobs and careers.
Our schools and curriculum must adapt to educate today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs and careers. The proposed mill levy would help expand classrooms for career, technology, and skilled trades classes; provide the highest quality, up-to-date, and innovative classroom materials at all grade levels so teachers and students have the best tools possible for learning; invest in books, technology, and other library materials and facilities; and create replacement cycles for musical instruments, athletics equipment, and other necessary classroom materials.
Maintain School Buildings
Maintaining and improving school buildings and facilities used by teachers, students, librarians and other staff to ensure secure, adequate, and comprehensive learning environments.
The mill levy would provide dedicated funds to extend the useful life of the district’s buildings while ensuring safe and healthy learning environments by replacing outdated electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems; addressing routine repairs and renovations; and reducing costly emergency repairs.
Support Neighborhood Schools
Ensuring that students have the individual attention and the greater sense of community they need to learn and thrive by supporting small, neighborhood schools.
The Board has heard support from the community for maintaining small, neighborhood schools and funding from this measure could help the district to continue to provide comprehensive programming in these schools.
Supporting and Opposing Points
Those who support the mill levy say:
- PSD needs an ongoing, sustainable source of funding to pay for building maintenance, which is needed annually, and to fund necessary replacement cycles for things like school buses, musical instruments, curricular materials, physical education and athletic equipment, technology, and security equipment, etc.
- PSD’s teachers and staff should be paid at market rates to attract and retain top talent to support our students.
- PSD needs funding to renovate classrooms and buildings to ensure that these spaces are adequately equipped, safe, and productive learning environments to best prepare students for the future.
Those who oppose the mill levy say:
- Taxes are already high for residents and businesses in the district and should not be increased any more.
- PSD has already received funding from local voters, for example in a bond measure in 2016 and in a mill levy override for increases to teacher and classified salaries in 2019. The district does not need additional funding.
- It would have been more fiscally responsible for PSD to close under-enrolled schools before asking voters for additional funding.