What will the money be used for?
We are asking voters to consider a Mill Levy Override (MLO) that would raise up to $35-million per year for vital district needs.
Increasing teacher and support staff salaries
Facility maintenance and improvements
Expanding armed security officers to all elementary schools
Funding ASD20 Charter Schools for educational purposes
Academy District 20 authorized charter schools would receive their pro-rata share per state statute. No revenue from this tax will be used for administration salaries.
Why Teacher Salaries?
To remain competitive, we must attract and retain talented teachers and support staff. We currently rank 3rd in teacher salaries in the Pikes Peak Region. At our current starting salary teachers cannot afford to live and work in Academy District 20.
An example:
Starting salary for a new teacher: $48,800
Monthly take-home pay: $3,069
Monthly expenses:
| Monthly Expenditures | Amount |
|---|---|
| Rent: 1 bed / 1 bath apt. in ASD20 | $1,396 |
| Utilities | $133 |
| Internet | $36 |
| Car Payment / Gas / Insurance | $915 |
| Non-restaurant food | $342 |
| Cell Phone | $40 |
| Toiletries, Hair Care, etc. | $60 |
| Student Loan | $278 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | $3,200 |
| Monthly Net Loss | ($131) |
Why School Safety?
Currently there are only armed security officers at all middle and high schools with officers rotating between elementary schools.
- Funding from the MLO would ensure every ASD20 school would have an armed security officer on-site.
Why Facilities?
We currently have a $300M backlog of deferred maintenance and capital projects. Additionally we currently allocate $6-8M per year on maintenance while we should be spending $40M according to industry standards.
Why Charter School Funding?
Our charter schools receive a proportionate amount based on student enrollment, to be used on teacher and support staff salaries, facilities and security.
- New Summit Charter Academy
- The Classical Academy
Should the Mill Levy Override pass, a committee will be created to monitor expenditures.