View the current budget redesign process for 2017-18.
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Public Invited to View APS Budget on May 16, 2013
The Aurora Public Schools District Accountability Advisory Committee has scheduled a public hearing to review the district’s proposed budget for the 2013-14 school year. The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 16 in the Professional Learning and Conference Center (PLCC) 15771 E. 1st Ave., Aurora, CO 80011.
A representative from the Division of Finance will present the proposed budget.
The final budget will be presented to the APS Board of Education in June.
APS 2012-2013 Budget Update
APS Teammates:
I’m thrilled to report that Aurora Public Schools voters approved ballot measure 3C, our $15 million mill levy override!!!!! This is based on our consultants’ review of unofficial county results. Official results will be available later this month. Here is what we know:
Arapahoe County
- YES 3C – 28,967 (55.53%)
- NO 3C – 23,200 (44.47%)
Adams County
- YES 3C – 4,431 (54.12%)
- NO 3C – 3,757 (45.88%)
Read more of the latest budget update.
Latest Budget Information / Documents:
- 2012-13 Adopted Budget (Re-Adopted Dec. 2012)
- A Budget Message from the APS Board of Education.
- Budget Surveys
- Possible Budget Reduction Quadrant Charts
- Learn more about the 2012-2013 budget process.
- Read Frequently Asked Questions.
- Learn how APS plans to maintain its commitment to students.
A Look Back on the 2011-2012 Budget Process
APS faced an estimated a $25 million gap between revenues and expenditures for 2011-12. This gap was due to potential revenue cuts as well as cost increases in areas such as PERA, energy, and labor.
Of the actions taken to reduce the 2011-2012 budget by $25 million, 92% did not have a direct impact on classrooms and 50% provide recurring savings into future budget years.
- Learn more about the Budget Reduction Process for the 2011-2012 Budget. (Internet web archive)
- Entérese más acerca del proceso de reducción del presupuesto, para el 2011-2012. (Internet web archive)
Latest News on 2011-12 Budget
- APS Board of Education Approves 2011-2012 budget.
- APS Board of Education Provides Guidance on 2011-2012 budget.
- Questions & Answers from the Budget Town Hall Meeting are now available.
- Staff and Parent Budget Survey results are now available.
Budget Updates for Staff
As a team, we must work to find needed cuts that are thoughtful, transparent and supportive of our strategic plan. During times of major crisis, the measure of an organization is how its members handle adversity. I know we are up to the challenge.
The impact of the economic recession on the Colorado budget are severe, and funding for K-12 education will be hit hard as a result.
There are no easy decisions in times of extreme budget reductions. Rest assured that extensive thought will go into each and every decision, and the final picture will reflect reductions that are thoughtful, collaborative and transparent. Our top priority will continue to be student achievement.
We are committed to including parents, staff and community members in the budget reduction process.
- We have developed a Special Budget Advisory Committee made up of representatives from all APS employee groups (AEA, CEC, SEA and DAAC), parents and community members.
- Staff members will have the opportunity to provide feedback through an online survey.
- We will also be collecting parent feedback through a survey.
Please know that we will work hard to minimize the impact of needed budget reductions on our students.
Thank you for your support.
2010-11 Budget Reductions
Using a best practices budget reduction process from the District Management Council, the top national network of public school leaders, APS identified an initial list of possible budget reductionsgrouped into prioritized categories based on their budgetary effectiveness and least impact on student learning.
APS also developed a Special Budget Advisory Committee made up of representatives from all APS employee groups (AEA, CEC, SEA and DAAC), parents and community members to advise the APS Board of Education and Leadership Team on recommended reductions.
Staff members had the opportunity to provide feedback through an online survey, and APS also collected parent and community feedback.
- View the approved 2010-11 Budget Year Reductions (Final Quadrant Chart)
- View the archived 2010-11 Budget Reduction Process page. (Internet web archive)
2009-10 Budget Reductions
Because of the collaboration by the entire APS team and leadership by the Board of Education and the Division of Finance as well as voter support of our 2008 bond and mill levy election, we are in sound financial condition as we face additional cuts.
- As a result of the successful bond and mill measures in November 2008, and an increase in enrollment over projections of nearly 1,000 students in October of 2008, the 2009-10 budget was developed with a slight increase in staffing, increased contribution rates to PERA, scheduled salary steps, increased health insurance premiums, and a 2.5% general salary increase for all employees.
- The state required APS to place 1.93% of school funding, which equaled $4.9 million, in a Restricted Reserve account. The legislature will decide by January 29, 2010 whether or not districts may keep these funds or if we must return them to the state. Every indication is that we will need to return these funds so we will lose this money.
- As a result of reduced assessed property values of 5% in the district, over $90 million districtwide, APS received $800,000 less in property tax revenues for operations.
2007-08 and 2008-09 Budget Year Reductions
In both 2007-08 and 2008-09, APS reduced its general fund budget by $3 million and $10 million respectively due to significant variances in enrollment and funding. Numerous staff and program reductions were necessary and shared throughout the district, as illustrated in the table below.
Area | Budget Reduction | Percent |
Division of Support Services | $ 1,918,140 | 5.2% |
Division of Instruction | $ 615,784 | 5.0% |
Division of Superintendent | $ 292,068 | 6.2% |
Division of Human Resources | $ 261,911 | 8.6% |
Division of Finance | $ 298,010 | 8.2% |
Completed VISTA 2010 Initiatives | $3,900,000 | 1.6% |
Schools | $ 5,561,200 | 4.2% |
Even with the above reductions, the 2008-09 budget was originally adopted with a $4 million shortfall in revenues to cover expenditures and a zero percent general salary increase (GSI) was negotiated.