stronger schools &
brighter futures matter
On August 27, the Adams 12 Five Star Schools Board of Education voted in favor to place an important mill levy override on the November 2025 ballot. This decision is essential to provide the critical funding needed to attract and retain quality teachers and staff, expand programs in career and technical education for students, and continue to ensure safe and secure learning environments in all of our schools.
The Challenge
Our Students Deserve Better
In Colorado, MLOs were created as an option to ask voters to approve additional dollars outside of what was provided by the state. Nowadays, it has become the norm, not the exception, for local school districts to go out to voters to approve an MLO for ongoing operating expenses such as salaries, safety and security, and instructional programming.
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Adams 12 is already feeling the impact of inadequate school funding. This past spring, the district cut $27.5 million and eliminated approximately 150 jobs for the 2025-2026 school year. This will result in larger class sizes, reductions in programming and electives for students, and more challenges in recruiting and retaining necessary staff. All of this impacts our students and our local quality of life.
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To keep the district competitive with the market average, it would take the approval of the $39.42 million mill levy override investment.
How will the MLO funds be used?
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Teacher & Staff Salaries: Recruit, retain, and remain competitive for highly-effective staff
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Academic Programming: Provide diverse, relevant, and personalized learning opportunities
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Safety & Mental Health: Enhance school safety and security, and student mental health
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Charter Schools*: Proportionate share of MLO funds for all four District-authorized charter schools. (*MLO sharing per state statute)
The WHY
Our schools need more
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Adams 12 Five Star Schools ranks near the bottom (9 out of 10) in average teacher salaries compared to nearby districts*, restricting our ability to compete for the best and brightest teachers and staff.
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The voter-approved 2024 bond will add and renovate learning spaces for new career and technical education (CTE) programming at the middle and high school level, but we now lack funding for staffing and programming that will bring these spaces to life.
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School safety and security are everyone’s top priority. Adams 12 Five Star Schools has one of the smallest security staffs among nearby districts. We need additional investment to expand our safety and security staff in specific areas and improve and maintain support for all of our schools. Schools have become important providers and support environments for student mental health needs, enabling students to develop life skills and be prepared for their next stage of life.
*Source: CDE
The Solution
Our students deserve the same competitive advantage as their peers in neighboring districts. We can achieve this by voter approval of 5B which will generate the funds needed to invest in three critical areas and provide additional support for Charter Schools.
Teacher & Staff Salaries
Attract and keep highly-effective staff by bringing salaries closer to the market average of nearby school districts for jobs including but not limited to teachers, custodians, paraeducators, bus drivers, and nutrition services personnel.
Expand Academic Programming
Expand career and technical education opportunities and provide real-world, hands-on learning experiences for students at every level: elementary, middle, and high school.
Safety, Security and Mental HEalth
Increase the number of trained safety and security staff to maintain safe learning environments for students and staff. Provide additional mental health support for students to develop life skills and be prepared for their next stage of life.
Charter schools
Proportionate share of MLO funds are distributed to all four District-authorized charter schools
