We want to bring attention to budgeting changes in Jefferson County Public Schools that are going to impact our mountain schools negatively. I am particularly concerned as a Conifer parent, but the new site-based budgeting “realignment” will take money out of all our local mountain schools resulting in cut programs or a loss of teachers and/or staff, potentially including mental health support. The realignment takes away $198 per student that was given to Conifer and Evergreen High Schools in previous years as part of a size equity factor. That means, smaller schools were given a small amount of money per student to be able to run the same programs (AP/Honors/sports/clubs) as larger schools with bigger student bodies. At Conifer, this will result in losing around $120,000 in next years budget. That amounts to a tiny savings for a school district the size of JeffCo but has a big impact on a small school like Conifer and Evergreen. It equates to at least one or two teachers and potentially other programs needing to be cut. It should be noted that other small schools in Jeffco qualify for Title 1 funds so it truly is only our mountain schools that will be impacted by this new site-based budgeting realignment. Please take time to reach out to JeffCo Schools and respectfully ask for this to be reevaluated for the upcoming school year. You can email our board representative at paula.reed@jeffco.k12.co.us or the board at board@jeffco.k12.co.us.

Chris Lafferty and Mike Ransel
Conifer parents and SAC Committee Members