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Home My WebLink About04-13-26 - Special Study Session Agenda PacketSPECIAL STUDY SESSION AGENDA CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO Monday, April 13, 2026 Will start at the conclusion of Regular City Council Meeting which starts at 6:30 p.m. This meeting will be conducted as a virtual meeting, and in person, at: 7500 West 29th Avenue, Municipal Building, Council Chambers. City Council members and City staff members will be physically present at the Municipal building for this meeting. The public may participate in these ways: 1. Attend the meeting in person at City Hall. Use the appropriate roster to sign up to speak upon arrival. 2. Provide comment in advance at www.wheatridgespeaks.org (comment by noon on April 13, 2026) 3. Virtually attend and participate in the meeting through a device or phone: Click here to pre-register and provide public comment by Zoom (You must preregister before 5:00 p.m. on April 13, 2026) 4. View the meeting live or later at www.wheatridgespeaks.org, Channel 8, or YouTube Live at https://www.ci.wheatridge.co.us/view Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to participate in all public meetings sponsored by the City of Wheat Ridge. The City will upon request, provide auxiliary aids and services leading to effective communication for people with disabilities, including qualified sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, documents in Braille, and other ways of making communications accessible to people who have speech, hearing, or vision impairments. To request auxiliary aid, service for effective communication, or document in a different format, please use this form or contact ADA Coordinator, (Kelly McLaughlin at ada@ci.wheatridge.co.us or 303-235-2885) as soon as possible, preferably 7 days before the activity or event. Public Comment on Agenda Items 1. Jefferson County Public Schools Update Memorandum TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Patrick Goff, City Manager DATE: April 13, 2026 SUBJECT: Jefferson County Public Schools Update ISSUE: Jeffco Public School Board President Michelle Applegate will provide an overview of the district’s current priorities, student performance outcomes, fiscal challenges, and potential revenue-generation strategies being evaluated for future ballot consideration. Key themes highlighted in the presentation will include: •The district’s strategic vision and priority areas focused on students, staff, operations, and community partnerships. •Recent academic and operational results, such as increases in graduation rates, career and technical education participation, and early literacy performance. •Ongoing financial pressures, including rising personnel costs, declining enrollment, and the expiration of pandemic relief funding. •A review of the broader school funding landscape, including the structure of state and local revenue sources and Jeffco’s position relative to other Front Range districts. •Potential mill levy override and bond options the district may pursue, along with the anticipated timeline for community engagement and Board of Education action leading up to the November 2026 election. This study session will allow Council to receive a high-level briefing on Jeffco’s current conditions and long-term planning efforts, and to discuss how the district’s initiatives align with and impact the Wheat Ridge community. ATTACHMENT: 1.Jeffco Public School Presentation Item No. 1 ATTACHMENT 1 Michelle Applegate: Board of Education President Today’s Presenter: 3 Michelle Applegate President Erin Kenworthy 1st Vice President Peter Gibbins 2nd Vice President Tina Moeinian Treasurer Dr. Denine Echevarria Secretary Board of Education Directors Agenda About Jeffco Public Schools Getting Results For Jeffco Students Questions & Staying Connected Funding Jeffco Kids Can Count On 4 Four Priority Areas ●Our Learners: Our Future ●Our People: Our Strength ●Our Operations: Our Foundation ●Our Communities: Our Legacy VISION Our vision is for Jeffco Public Schools to be a thriving district where all students achieve their biggest dreams. MISSION Our mission is to provide a world-class education that prepares all Jeffco students for bright and successful futures locally and globally. About Jeffco Public Schools Jeffco is the state’s second-largest school district, serving 75,000 students across 145 schools, and its 14,000 employees make it the largest employer in the county. Jeffco Values Belonging Equity Excellence Focus on Students Integrity ●18 charter schools ●2 online schools ●2 outdoor laboratory schools ●1 career and technical education school ●72 elementary schools ●18 middle schools ●17 high schools ●19 option & alternative education campuses Getting Results for Jeffco Students 8 8 Preparing Students for Bright & Successful Futures Learn more on this webpage. The Magic of Middle School starts with belonging, fueling students’ passions and interests. Students prepare for bright and successful futures in High School by career exploration. Students build strong foundations in Elementary School through enriching curriculum and instruction. Elementary: Ensuring a Strong Foundation High Quality Instructional Materials in Reading and Math at every school and in every grade level ●63% of K-3 students are reading at grade-level or above, up from 39% at beginning of the school year. ●Jeffco has 67% of K-3 students scoring at benchmark level or above on phonics and reading fluency, compared to 55% nationally. 11 Magic of Middle School Fostering Belonging & Igniting Interests Jeffco prepares middle school students to be self-aware, well-rounded and future-ready through a variety of focuses. ●Procedural: 5th Grade Shadow Days ●Social: Clubs & Activities ●Academic: Student ownership & goal setting 12 High School Reimagined Preparing for Life After Graduation During the next decade, we will see 65% of Generation Alpha (individuals born between 2010 and 2024) working in jobs that don’t exist today. All Jeffco students are prepared after graduation because they have: ●A resume that represents proficiency in core content and durable skills ●Access to college credits and/or industry certifications ●Support in building a career plan Students participating in Flight for Life training 13 Jeffco Public Schools is in the process of reducing its budget expenditures for the 2026-27 school year This challenge is the result of: ●Rising personnel costs, including compensation increases ●Declining enrollment ●Purposeful decisions to sustain student support after pandemic relief funds elapsed ●Failure to maximize local revenue and tie previous measures to inflation ●Colorado’s chronic underfunding of K-12 education 15 One of our community’s greatest shared investments— built on high standards, proven results and deep pride in our students’ success. 16 17 How Schools Are Funded The state legislature sets total funding for each school district each year. Think of our funding as a pitcher, set by the state and filled with state and local funding. Local Share = Fixed tax rate set by the state of Colorado and applied to all taxpayers. State law says Jeffco must certify 27 mills as a local contribution. State Share = Funding from State Income Tax and Sales Tax allocated by Legislature. Mill Levy Override = Voter approved additional Tax that goes straight to Jeffco Public Schools, outside the total program computation. More Local Share = Less State Share An increase in local funding due to economic growth and rising property taxes does not provide our schools with more money (and it does not increase the size of the pitcher) — it just means the state contributes less. 18 Jeffco is the second largest school district in the state and falls behind several Front Range districts when it comes to funding 18 Front Range District Funding based on FY25* *data to be updated in Spring 2026 when CDE releases latest figures Revenue Generation Options 20 Option 1: $75M MLO Option 2: Up to $135M MLOs Option 3: $75 MLO, $500M Bond These options could increase taxes by $21 - $45 per year per $100k of actual property value. Note: 11% of any MLO would be allocated to Jeffco’s charter schools and a bond proceed amount to charters would be an amount determined through a MOU process with the Jeffco charter schools; in the past this has also been 11%. Jan-May 2026 The Partnership for Fiscal Sustainability works alongside Jeffco staff & community engagement occurs to explore a ballot measure April 2026 Board of Education retreat to study a potential ballot measure By June 2026 Establish MOU with Jeffco charter schools May/June 2026 Board of Education would draft and review ballot language May-Nov 2026 Private campaign group may form Aug 2026 Board of Education takes formal action to approve ballot question Sept 2026 When the Board of Education would certify ballot language ~60 days prior to the election Nov 3, 2026 Election Day Revenue Generation Timeline 22 Partnership for Fiscal Sustainability 23 In January, a broad-based committee — educators, families, community leaders, and partners — began meeting to shape the path toward a 2026 ballot measure. Their charge: craft a compelling, community-driven proposal that sustains Jeffco’s excellence through: ●Safe and welcoming schools ●Career-connected learning and modernized pathways ●Competitive compensation for outstanding educators Follow the work of the Partnership at: https://jps.click/jeffco-partnership ●Subscribe to the Community Update and Across the Board Newsletter ●Attend an upcoming Board of Education Meeting ●Follow our Jeffco Social Media Accounts! @JeffcoSchoolsCO and @Superintendent_Dorland ●Listen and subscribe to the Elevate Education Podcast Stay Connected Thank you for listening! Q&A