School ballot measures get thumbs-up in Hanover, Calhan districts; Lewis-Palmer, Ellicott get thumbs-down

O'Dell Isaac, The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Updated ·3 min read

Nov. 8—Lewis-Palmer School District 38's bid for a tax hike to increase teacher and staff pay has fallen short, according to early returns.

Ballot Issue 4A asked voters to approve a $5.6 million tax increase to make teacher and staff salaries competitive with surrounding districts.

As of 8 p.m. Tuesday, about 52% of voters said "no" to the measure.

The Monument-based district has consistently been one of the highest-achieving in the state. According to data from the Colorado Department of Education and the National Center for Education Statistics, D-38 ranks among the top 5% in math proficiency, top 10% in reading, and its 97% graduation rate is in the top 1% in the state.

Its teacher salaries, however, rank among Colorado's lowest. The district's starting teacher salary, according to its pay schedule, is about $38,000 a year, making it the lowest-paying district in the region.

In a written statement, district officials expressed disappointment with the results and resolved to continue their efforts to compensate teachers and staff for the work they do.

"We believe we have made ground in our fight, and we look forward to serving our staff and our community moving forward," the statement read, in part. "We believe D38 must continue to work in tandem with our community to better understand and address the challenges our district faces, as D38 remains among the lowest in terms of per pupil funding in El Paso County."

Hanover School District 28

In Hanover, more than 57% of voters approved Ballot Issue 4B, allowing the School District 28 to extend a bond measure approved in 2002 and take on an additional $13.8 million in debt.

The funds are needed to improve several school facilities and accommodate the needs of a growing district, according to D-28's Master Plan. Prairie Heights Elementary School is too small to adequately serve the 120 students enrolled there, and officials expect 40 to 60 additional students in the next five years.

District officials want to renovate Prairie Heights to roughly twice its size, according to the master plan.

The proposed bond would not require an additional tax increase, according to the district.

Ellicott School District 22

Voters in Ellicott School District 22 voted against Ballot Issue 4C, which asked for a tax increase of $592,000 per year to give a pay raise to teachers, aides, bus drivers and support staff. More than 58% of voters opposed the measure, which officials said was an attempt to boost retention and recruitment in the rural district.

"(Staff members) are dealing with inflation, a higher cost of living, medical insurance," said Superintendent Chris Smith. "We're trying to balance that, make our staff feel valued, and make it make sense to drive 30 miles east to teach in a rural district."

Calhan School District RJ-1

In Calhan, more than 54% of voters gave a thumbs-up to Ballot Issue 5C, which calls for School District RJ-1 to increase its debt by $7.5 million to expand and improve its Career and Technical Education facilities.

The new facility will feature a metal and woodworking shop, five new classrooms and equipment for agriculture, home economics and aviation programs.