On the ballot this November are two very important initiatives that could mean a lot for the funding of Adams 12 Five Star Schools.  These are Ballot Issue 5c and Amendment 73. As a student, I care a lot about the funding the district receives because it not only funds what happens inside the classroom, but also what happens outside the classroom. I think that these two initiatives would be of great benefit to all of the students in the district.

The first measure is known as Ballot Issue 5C and is a local initiative that would increase the funding for Adams 12 by $27 million, or an extra $689 per student per year. According to Adams 12, these funds would be invested in increasing student safety, expand courses in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), expand AP courses, and update textbooks, along with other investments in students’ education.  I know certain textbooks in the school are very old, and others are worn out and need to be replaced. For example, my calculus textbook is eight years old and no longer completely follows the guidelines put forth by the College Board for the AP Exam. I hope that any outdated AP textbooks would be updated to newer editions as a result of this so that they can better prepare students for the AP Exams in May.

The second measure is known as Amendment 73, a statewide initiative that would increase taxes by $1.6 billion in order to better fund education across the entire state. While it may seem that taxes would increase for many people, 92% of Coloradans would not see any tax increase as a result of this amendment, according to Adams 12. Taxes would be increased for those who make more than $150,000 per year (after federal exemptions and deductions), in addition to “C” corporations. In terms of Adams 12, an additional $1,618 would be put in the budget for every student in the district. Over the past few years, Adams 12 has organized a program called Elevate, which was made specifically to develop a plan for the success of Adams 12 students in the future. This plan outlines how these funds would be distributed across the district, which is similar to what Ballot Initiative 5C would do, in addition to providing high-quality teachers and supporting children with special needs.

Both of these are very important to me since it means I would be able to take a larger, more varied amount of classes compared to the typical classes that are usually taken, such as English, History, Science, and Math. I, personally, enjoy computer science and would love to take more classes that focus on it. However, I also believe that the classes in science, the arts, and other subjects are all equally important and should be available to fit students of all interests. In order to have a good education, I think that not only should the basic classes be offered, but other, more specialized and fun classes should be offered that allow students to better express themselves, whether it is through the arts, the sciences, or any other topic.

As a student, I think that it would be beneficial to every student in the district if these initiatives were passed. Make sure you are registered to vote (if you can) and to vote yes on Amendment 73 and Ballot Issue 5C if you see that these are initiatives would help every student in the Adams 12 community.

Here is a link to an infographic to how the funds would be used.