Copyright Boulder Daily Camera
Adams 12 leaders are celebrating the passage of a $39 million mill levy override that will mean the school district can pay teachers more, add career and technical education classes and bolster safety measure instead of needing to make cuts for a second year. Ballot Issue 5B passed with 53% voting “yes” and 46% voting “no,” based on unofficial results from Adams and Broomfield counties. Voters defeated a similar measure in 2024, 57 percent to to 43 percent. For the current school year, the district cut 150 jobs amid a $27.5 million shortfall. The last mill levy override passed by voters in Adams 12 was in 2018. The current measure allows the district to collect additional money from property taxes for ongoing expenses by increasing the mill levy up to 8.795 mills. The increase is expected to cost homeowners about $5 a month per $100,000 of home value. District leaders said the additional money helps narrow the funding gap between Adams 12 and nearby school districts, which offer higher salaries to teachers. Adams 12 is the sixth largest district in the state, with about 35,000 students. Of the $39 million, $25.2 million is earmarked for raises for educators and other staff members. Another $9.2 million would go to program needs, including expanding Career and Technical Education and adding elementary STEM-focused teachers. About $1.4 million would go to hire more school safety employees, including campus security officers, and school-based therapists. The remaining $3.6 million would be allocated to the district’s four charter schools. Superintendent Chris Gdowski thanked voters for passing the measure, especially in a time of overall economic uncertainty. “We’re tremendously grateful to our community for approving this measure,” he said. “We’re going to use the funds exactly as we said and get a really strong return on our investment. We owe that to our community.” He also cautioned that, during the upcoming budget season, the district still needs to prepare for limited state funding and declining enrollment. While the additional money won’t boost Adams 12’s salaries to the top of surrounding district, he said, it will move the district to a more competitive position. The district plans to incorporate the additional money into next year’s budget, which will include adjusting salary schedules for educators, principals and support staff. “There’s a lot of work to do,” Gdowski said.
