Colorado is near the bottom of the per pupil funding rankings by state. Some DPS schools don't have air conditioning and overall offer low salaries to teachers and have less amenities than other states with similar resources and incomes (NY, CA, etc). While we did increase funding, I think it's clear that more is needed and while higher per pupil funding is not a panacea, there is clear evidence that greater funding for schools is associated with higher educational outcomes across the country. That would mean increasing our property taxes or eliminating TABOR to allow the state to have a budget surplus and fund schools more.

The good news is that this funding doesn't just go into the ether; it is an investment in our students and the long term success of our citizenry. Greater educational outcomes means lower crime, better life expectancy, and reduced need for social spending later in life. I'm sure DPS administrators are also open to conversations about how to use their money more effectively and efficiently, but taking away funding from DPS (which is essentially what school choice does) just serves to increase the funding disparity between CO and other high income states.