Thanks for checking in for this week’s A View of the Summit. This edition brings you updates on two key topics that reflect our district’s continued focus on comprehensive excellence, future readiness, and strong community collaboration: the March 20 Day of Action for public education funding and a deeper look into how we fund and operate student transportation in Summit School District.

Advocating for Students at the Capitol
On March 20, more than 80% of Summit School District educators joined thousands of their colleagues across Colorado at the State Capitol for a Day of Action—standing in solidarity for better school funding. Superintendent Byrd, Board of Education members, students, and community partners participated in this important advocacy effort.

So, why did educators take action? Because despite being one of the wealthiest states in the country, Colorado continues to underfund its public schools. On average, Colorado spends $4,000–$4,500 less per student than the national average. Since 2009, over $10 billion has been withheld from schools through the Budget Stabilization Factor.

The Day of Action focused on:

• Protecting the education budget from proposed cuts of $120 million
• Opposing the removal of enrollment averaging, which supports districts with fluctuating student numbers—like ours in Summit
• Fully funding special education services
• Ensuring competitive wages to address the educator shortage

Enrollment Averaging Matters
Governor Polis has proposed eliminating five-year enrollment averaging, a critical buffer for mountain and rural districts. Without this, Summit could face sudden and significant budget reductions tied to enrollment shifts. Because 89% of our funding is spent on staff, even a modest dip in student numbers would directly impact programming and jobs. This proposal could reduce SSD’s budget by hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single year.

Thank you to our families, staff, and community members who made space for advocacy to happen. We are deeply grateful for your support.

You can learn more and stay engaged in funding conversations by visiting Colorado Education Association.

 Keeping Us Moving: Transportation Funding in SSD
Student transportation is one of the foundational supports that ensures access and equity in education, and at Summit School District, we are proud to operate a transportation program that serves students daily and supports travel for athletics and activities.

For the 2024–25 school year, the Transportation Fund is budgeted at $2.4 million, covering operational costs like drivers, fuel, and maintenance—but not capital costs like purchasing new buses.

Transportation Fund Breakdown:

• State Transportation Aid: $240,000
• Trip Fees: $180,000
• Mill Levy Overrides (1999, 2007): $880,000
• Transfer from General Fund: $1.17 million

This combined funding allows us to maintain routes and provide vital transportation for students. However, state contributions cover only a fraction of our actual transportation needs—just 10%—with the local community and district General Fund covering the rest. It’s another example of how Summit shows up to support students where state systems fall short.

We’re committed to safe, sustainable transportation that meets the needs of our schools and families, and we’ll continue exploring ways to modernize and strengthen these systems.

Looking Ahead
As we prepare for the final stretch of the school year, we remain focused on the goals that shape every decision we make: supporting student well-being, elevating learning, and being excellent stewards of our community’s investment in education.

We hope these updates help you better understand how advocacy, funding, and operations all connect to our shared vision for Summit students.

Thank you for your continued partnership in creating inspiring learning environments for every child.

Tony Byrd, EdD
Superintendent
Summit School District

Laura Cotsapas
Chief Transformation & Academic Officer
 

Kara Drake

Chief Financial Officer