In a candid and well researched message to state leaders, Phil Qualman, Eagle County School District Superintendent, shares his perspective on what is TRULY going on in education and how proper funding is vital in order to make a difference. Here are some of the highlights from his statement with resources from Great Ed to further detail the severity described by Superintendent Qualman. His words have energized our organization to take action.
Teacher Recruitment & Retention
“Colorado ranks 50th out of 50 states in Teacher Wage Competitiveness (Great Ed Colorado, 2021).”
“The number of education degrees conferred by American colleges and universities dropped by 22 percent between 2006 and 2019, despite an overall increase in U.S. university graduates.”
Limited School Days
“Colorado leads the nation in 4 day-a-week school districts.”
Colorado Funding Issues
Visit our statistics page to learn more about Colorado education funding facts and statistics.
“Colorado spends about $3,000 less per pupil annually than the national average.”
“Please don’t think that reducing the Budget Stabilization (BS) factor is adequate. K-12 students and educators have carried the burden of balancing the state budget for the past 13 years. The state found a loophole to ignore the will of the people who passed Amendment 23 in 2000. “
“To get to the national average for per-pupil spending, it would require at least $2B in additional revenue for K-12. That’s a big number, but we can’t expect to address the problem if we’re scared to talk about what it takes to fix it.”
Take Action & Contact Legislators
As Qualman requests: “This legislative session, please don’t waste time debating insignificant adjustments to the School Finance Formula. Don’t move hundreds of dollars from one district to another, when the solution requires billions.”
Great Education Colorado supports Superintendent Qualman’s perspective and urgency. You can now tell your legislators that you agree Qualman by signing this online action!