Jeffco Public Schools leaders presented an updated “Budget Reduction Blueprint” to the Board of Education on January 7, 2026, outlining a rigorous plan to address a $40 million deficit. To safeguard the district’s long-term financial health, officials have set a target to reduce spending by at least $45 million over the next two years, with the majority of these cuts scheduled to take effect in the 2026-27 school year. The district cited several compounding factors for this fiscal crisis, including declining student enrollment, rising personnel costs, and chronic underfunding of K-12 education at the state level.
The reduction strategy heavily impacts departmental budgets, which are being trimmed by approximately $26.8 million. This will result in the elimination of roughly 139 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions across various administrative and support offices. While the district aim is to manage these reductions through attrition—noting that about 90 of the positions are currently vacant—approximately 50 employees have already received notification that their roles will be discontinued by June 30, 2026. Impacted areas include operations, which faces a reduction of 29 FTEs, and student success programs, which will see a decrease in centralized coaching and coordination.
Despite the district-wide cuts, school-level budgets are being prioritized, with an average reduction of only 2.5%. The presentation revealed that 85% of schools will see a budget decrease of 3% or less specifically due to the blueprint. Principals are expected to work with their School Accountability Committees throughout January and February to determine how to allocate their remaining resources while minimizing the impact on student learning and experiences. Smaller schools and those serving higher at-risk populations are generally slated for smaller percentage reductions to protect equity across the district.
Beyond immediate cuts, the district is shifting its focus toward long-term sustainability through a new “Partnership for Fiscal Sustainability” committee. This group of community stakeholders will begin meeting this month to develop recommendations for a potential 2026 ballot measure. The goal of this initiative is to seek at least $15 million in new annual revenue specifically for capital uses, such as maintaining safe and welcoming school environments and modernizing career-connected learning pathways. More information on these fiscal measures can be found in the full presentation.
