Enrollment in Jeffco has been relatively flat the last 10 years. In total, Jeffco has 96,918 seats available in neighborhood schools and there are over 15,000 empty seats. Per the Facilities Conditions Assessment document, five-year growth is projected to add 2,033 new students. But dig into the data and the only area that is projected with a lot of growth is Ralston Valley area in North Jeffco. In the next five years, Ralston Valley is projected to have an additional 1,882 students. The board has already passed, without voter approval, $78 million in new debt to pay for building the new school at Candelas and add onto Sierra, which will add a total of 1,250 new seats. Charter schools in the area have added another 1,000 seats, and don't forget Zerger elementary school still sits empty with 480 available seats. So tell me again, why we need $50 million to build two new schools? Certainly the 2,000 new seats that have already been added will cover growth projections and never mind the 15,000 seats already sitting empty in Jeffco.
The $535 million bond on the November ballot will cost tax payers $987.22 million. Save yourself a huge billion-dollar tax burden and vote no on 3B. Jeffco has more than enough available seats to accommodate any future growth.
Karen Buelter
Golden
from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.com/stories/Letter-Does-Jeffco-need-two-new-schools,238106
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