At the June 26 meeting of the Garfield Re-2 School Board, the budget for the 2024-25 school year was approved in the amount of $86 million. 

The district has six funds, and out of those, the General Fund and Capital Projects Fund are the largest, with $68.5 million and $3 million, respectively, an Re-2 news release states. 

The General Fund is for almost all district school operations and support functions, with nearly 80% being the salaries and benefits for Garfield Re-2 staff. This includes a staff raise to help keep pay competitive with other districts.: The school board approved a 2% increase to the base salaries of all employees, and then another 4% percent increase for all positions except administration. This is around a $2 million increase to the salaries and benefits of the District’s budget. 

“We are committed to being good stewards of the tax dollars that citizens trust us with,” explained Superintendent Heather Grumley in the news release. “The support of the School Board to provide salary increases to our dedicated teachers and staff is greatly appreciated, and continues to show the commitment they have to our Strategic Plan.”

About $55.7 million or 86% of Garfield Re-2’s revenue comes through the Colorado School Finance Act. Current local property taxes make up about 35% of this funding and the state backfills the remaining 65%. 

Colorado passed House Bill 21-1164, which requires school districts that did not have a balance between local and state portions to increase their mill levy until local participation could match State participation. 

The Garfield Re-2 School District has now been increasing the mill levy by one every year, as required by the state, until it reaches the corrected mill levy of 16.282. 

“These are not additional funds that will come to Garfield Re-2,” the release states. “They are a correction to adjust the local share of Total Program funding for education to the amount that is legally required by state statutes and the State Constitution.”