UPDATE: At tonight’s Denver school board work session, grim new budget scenarios will confront board members. Based on new state revenue projections, the district could face up to a 10 percent –$104 million — revenue drop this fiscal year. Previously, the worst case was a 5 percent drop, totaling $61 million.
It’s beginning to look like the worst-case scenario for Colorado school district budgets was too optimistic. The Joint Budget Committee heard revenue projections yesterday forecasting $3.3 billion in required cuts. The state’s general fund faces an astounding 25 percent revenue hit.
What does this mean for Denver Public Schools? it’s too soon to tell, precisely. But a few weeks ago, the gloomiest of three projections showed the district taking a 5 percent, or $61 million hit. It’s now looking as though the cuts might have to go deeper than that. It’s hard to see how cuts that deep happen without the central office and teachers being asked to make sacrifices.
There are sure to be tough conversations ahead.
For a solid overview of the state budget news, check out this story on Chalkbeat.
