McCluskie Speaks to Lake County High School Teachers

LEADVILLE, CO – Speaker Julie McCluskie today attended the Lake County High School All Staff Meeting to talk with teachers and highlight recent efforts to increase rural school funding and teacher pay. 

“Increasing funding for schools and supporting our teachers and students has been one of my top priorities in the legislature,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “Over the last few years, we have invested record funding in public schools that districts can now use to increase teacher pay, address recruitment challenges and deliver a world class education to our students. I’m so proud that the new public school finance formula I sponsored will significantly boost funding for Lake County R-1 schools and districts all across the High Country.”

Speaker McCluskie sponsored the new school finance formula, which significantly increases funding for rural schools and districts that serve more at-risk and special education students.  The prior formula, which had not been changed in nearly 30 years, did not prioritize student needs or rural schools. Under the new formula, a greater emphasis is placed on the student characteristics in each district. The new formula will increase funding for Lake County R-1 by 14.4 percent a year by the time it is fully implemented.