[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6337887,"mediaKeyId","2271087-9b7dc24af6389cce85f1b7b91dbc1591","parentId",2271087,"title","Subcommittee hears finance staff capacity concerns as members press for district-office 'right‑sizing'","audioSeconds",586,"startMs",5564264,"endMs",6150685,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2271087-9b7dc24af6389cce85f1b7b91dbc1591&start=5564&end=6150","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2271087-9b7dc24af6389cce85f1b7b91dbc1591/thumbnail_5564264.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6337887/Colorado/Subcommittee-hears-finance-staff-capacity-concerns-as-members-press-for-district-office-rightsizing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6337887-76c162521960602f9b7a2241e5b3f89a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771087777&Signature=UA4-PNl0BO2qPuWVaGuYgLJLv7xvzaY2jyawThmF8ahtXuuCDr5saD6xcBvxdvfOCgutQFGlhJrqFTzzElLheSM9oKtNQ-pRCr1W-HWmMFb3rp3I6Gs-o~~TYFxiIeNJrXb64IeySi5a6lEeVLe45eHuDxvCxKLkbnZfeUPNfiKnqrspWAY-6DNEwMjjtR-gWC2rYVZbWvybwrGJqZBWAmqyW-o0QGjfoTiOA4EXBV61YTeWqZO7x2geyykkGFy6TcD1nnQMmY~QNpYlqxS8QCfbJ0CXZnnBgM3qcbmwiYx7664TX7F7ZweOJginS-e0frqi8DLY7YrCU~l3xIOJzQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Roaring Fork Schools","date","2025-02-07T00:00:00Z","article","At the Roaring Fork School District No. Re-1 budget subcommittee meeting, members discussed whether the district office is the appropriate size and whether recent additions to front-office staff can be sustained amid declining enrollment and budget pressure.

Several committee members suggested looking for savings in the district office and asked whether vacant or newly posted positions should be filled. “If we're counting on not replacing 15 positions due to attrition, where's the attrition?” asked Speaker 3 (committee member), voicing teachers’ concerns about whether district-office reassignment or layoffs would protect classroom staffing.

District finance leadership described the current team as lean relative to the complexity of recent grants, school-finance changes and new reporting requirements. A finance leader said recent turnover and an uncovered fiscal problem highlighted the need for redundancy and specialized staff; the district has posted openings for a payroll manager and an accounting/finance specialist and has hired a budget analyst to shore up reporting and quarterly financials.

Committee members raised several quantitative concerns cited during the meeting: a midyear expense run rate at roughly 51.6% of the annual budget, a demographer’s early enrollment estimate showing a potential 75-student loss in the October count, a $100,000 reduction in at‑risk funding this year, and a planning estimate of roughly $1 million in additional structural shortfalls the district could face in 2026–27 without further actions.

Subcommittee participants asked for peer comparisons of district-office staffing relative to similar districts; some members volunteered to compile that data and the salary-sandbox tools used by the committee last year were offered as starting points for comparisons. Members also proposed a “parking lot” of possible school-based and district-based adjustments to track options and requested that district finance provide updated school budgets as soon as practical.

Questions about class sizes and scheduling were raised alongside district-office staffing. Several high-school teachers reported that schedule changes (an alternating five‑period day) had concentrated enrollment in certain subject areas — notably science — producing sections with 30-plus students in some cases. Members asked district staff to track whether adults included in certified staffing ratios (for example, deans or coaches) are appropriately categorized when computing student-to-staff ratios.

Ending: District finance staff said they would produce school-budget materials and update the sandbox tools in the coming weeks and suggested the committee consult peer districts and district-office comparisons before recommending staff reductions or reassignments. No staffing reductions or formal budget actions were taken at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Roaring Fork School District's Certified Salary Committee Meeting 2.7.2025","oneSentenceSummary","Committee members and finance leaders debated district-office staffing levels, finance department capacity, and possible rightsizing steps as school budgets are finalized. Finance staff said recent complexity and one-time errors require maintaining current analysts while committee members asked for peer comparisons.","taxTitle","Roaring Fork School District No. Re-1, School Districts , Colorado","taxId",38278,"location","Colorado","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6337892,"Subcommittee questions learning-acceleration staffing, asks for metrics and review amid budget tightening",1816,1828695,3645000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2271087-9b7dc24af6389cce85f1b7b91dbc1591&start=1828&end=3645","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2271087-9b7dc24af6389cce85f1b7b91dbc1591/thumbnail_1828695.jpg","/articles/6337892/Colorado/Subcommittee-questions-learning-acceleration-staffing-asks-for-metrics-and-review-amid-budget-tightening","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6337892-33a296bd30a52a1a8e607b83da5b0476/orig.mp4?Expires=1771087777&Signature=AMaRZLq72cnhiKN3vmXTk24RyPH--kjwkuye6LQxakZife3GSmJKHE~6xZjxTZkTH8JGUfaUsnuA9X3s3lprlK0DcrYAON1H-CcTlcFwRqvfJr~XengPMiuxo6niBhbzn-gxt6SXcPNUfobuyfSIN4nf662Xz~iaC5gWYo2aM3E1vc2hcV3AzBtAHEUyKeV9zClaCHXKgvTDcyNfPIkXC6Fr~txecXC3L1vBGg-qWQRLzxcPr-dKCyfpe7CVhpyjZTmIPdlEWsj70tUkeOcVEO3Lbl4gwz91VQ7ZS-cLlnsywshVzDF9Q1xubg~srvCkeHfsV7J9o9r6CZSTy~I35Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Participants at the Roaring Fork School District No. Re-1 budget subcommittee meeting spent substantial time examining the district’s Learning Acceleration Plan (LAP), questioning whether positions created under the plan — including deans and instructional coaches — are delivering the intended results and whether those positions should remain funded as currently classified on the certified salary schedule.

“Is there data to suggest that having a coach is more effective than filling all these positions of classroom assistance?” asked Speaker 5 (committee member), summarizing a recurring concern. Speakers repeatedly asked for explicit outcome metrics, such as changes in achievement gaps on CMAS or SAT, to assess whether the LAP is closing the gaps it was designed to address.

District staff said the LAP was introduced under the previous administration as a multi‑year initiative and that many of its positions were integrated into the district’s School Resource Allocation Framework and Unified Improvement Plan (UIP). A district leader explained that the district’s newer strategic plan includes performance measures and that a public dashboard tied to those measures would go live at the end of the month; those metrics, staff said, will help evaluate whether coaching, deans and other supports are producing measurable benefits for students.

Committee members raised several specific concerns:

- Classification and pay: Several speakers said some positions created under the LAP were placed on the certified salary schedule, which the committee called the district’s “fair share” pool for certified staff. Because those positions draw from the same certified-salary pool as classroom teachers, adding administrative-style positions to that pool reduces funds available for teacher salaries and hiring.

- Role clarity: Members asked whether deans and coaches are spending sufficient time in classrooms with students and teachers or are performing primarily administrative duties. Several asked that job descriptions and schedules be reviewed to ensure time on task is student-facing where that is the intent.

- Evaluation timeline: Committee members noted the plan has been in place for about a year and a half and asked for interim outcomes; district staff cautioned that curriculum and program evaluation commonly requires multiple years but said the strategic-plan metrics and an upcoming dashboard would allow interim checks.

- Alternatives and trade-offs: Participants suggested comparing costs and outcomes across options — for example, increasing direct classroom interventionists versus funding coaches — and asked that the subcommittee prepare specific scenarios showing the fiscal and programmatic implications of staffing changes.

District leaders said the LAP’s initial investments were supported by $2.6 million received in spring 2022 and grant funds, and they acknowledged the program’s intent to close achievement gaps, particularly for students of color and emerging bilingual students. Staff also said some state and one-time funds that supported parts of the LAP have changed and that ongoing funding now appears within the district’s resource-allocation formulas.

Ending: The subcommittee asked district staff to assemble outcome data, job descriptions and cost scenarios for review. Members recommended tying any review to the district strategic-plan metrics and to the forthcoming public dashboard so the committee can evaluate program effectiveness before recommending significant budget changes.","Committee members pressed district leaders to produce outcome metrics for the Learning Acceleration Plan and to reconsider staffing allocations — especially the classification and roles of deans and coaches — given budget pressures and declining enrollment.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6337896,"Subcommittee members press district for $600,000 to change base health plan, seek 0.9% added to salary base",352,93120,445965,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2271087-9b7dc24af6389cce85f1b7b91dbc1591&start=93&end=445","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2271087-9b7dc24af6389cce85f1b7b91dbc1591/thumbnail_93120.jpg","/articles/6337896/Colorado/Subcommittee-members-press-district-for-600000-to-change-base-health-plan-seek-09-added-to-salary-base","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6337896-3d01de803aa54cfbeb00cbae553923ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1771087777&Signature=WU5vD-8S0A0fyUfUdXbMIBYsvoGxo9Mqjy7WJtp098JUPtC3nBaU5UajyjZrJfU~RTb9~TjZBXHX0Vww6KhxGljrOHMfx-2vTuWPJONKYL3p6nvD17hopKaWPmX2jRhOlsS~euaFM17~Gwlxlg3du-fKCIrmtL0pr~H5u0JEo7-UIZouOkZaCabMRYfaNc8RTuYRASFlnmdGebgx-eyeXPmMdQuQOoQyH7eEgFoIhrLqO21~cI7WITa1ZAqS9wW1L4zylZ~w0ozSO~525a5UjZTUWVo-HkSKUFkY-BTIGRQRaIFnGrxH0TnSSNdmZ8IqJw6ef8LZHNGz98Vo87GNwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Roaring Fork School District No. Re-1 budget subcommittee outlined two specific compensation requests during a meeting focused on next year’s budget: find about $600,000 to make PPO 8 the district’s base health-insurance option and identify funding to add roughly 0.9 percentage points to the salary schedule base on top of planned step increases.

The requests came during a discussion about bargaining priorities and budget trade-offs. “One of our priorities moving forward is finding an extra $600,000 for that PPO payment to make that other base plan,” said Speaker 2 (committee member). Speaker 2 also asked the group to investigate how much money a 0.9% base increase would cost and to explore options for funding it.

The request for PPO 8 was framed as a change to the district’s default health plan that would raise employer costs; the group identified an estimated price tag of about $600,000 but did not present a final, line-item budget to show where that money would come from. Committee members suggested options to find the money, including rightsizing the district office, reviewing the learning-acceleration budget and positions, examining school calendars and non-student-facing positions, selling surplus properties, and pursuing one-time revenue sources instead of dipping further into reserves.

Subcommittee participants discussed cost-of-living metrics used to calculate state school finance adjustments. Speaker 2 said the district’s inflation assumption derives from the state’s school finance calculation and cited numbers in the 2.3–2.7% range; participants said they would confirm the exact figure used in state calculations.

Speakers also described how proposed compensation changes would interact with the district’s current salary- schedule changes and step increases. The subcommittee acknowledged that the district has budget constraints, declining enrollment and a set of unknowns in the governor’s budget proposals that could create as much as a $600,000 swing in state funding options. One finance staff member described the district’s effort to balance preserving staff and benefits while avoiding unsustainable spending.

The group agreed to continue the subcommittee’s work, use a salary “sandbox” spreadsheet to model changes, and gather comparable salary information from peer districts. Speaker 1 (committee member) volunteered to compile district-comparison data and Speaker 2 offered to add detailed proposals to the shared notes. No formal motion or vote on the PPO or base increase was recorded at the meeting.

The discussion left key numbers unspecified: committee members repeatedly requested a precise dollar total for the 0.9% base increase and an explicit list of potential budget offsets. District finance staff said they were stretched by current workload and could produce school budgets and sandbox updates in the coming weeks.

Ending: The subcommittee closed the session by assigning homework: update the salary-sandbox tool, compile peer-district comparisons, and return with specific funding scenarios. The group did not adopt any changes to plans or benefits during the meeting; formal bargaining or board-level decisions would be required to change the district’s base health plan or salary schedule.","At a district budget subcommittee meeting, participants representing staff and teachers reiterated two main asks: make PPO 8 the default health plan by finding roughly $600,000 and add about 0.9 percentage points to the salary base to better match inflation, while acknowledging district budget constraints.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Subcommittee hears finance staff capacity concerns as members press for district-office 'right‑sizing'

Subcommittee questions learning-acceleration staffing, asks for metrics and review amid budget tightening

Subcommittee members press district for $600,000 to change base health plan, seek 0.9% added to salary base