Colorado.com Staff Writer. (2020) Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver. Colorado.com.

Students attending school just miles away from each other receive vastly different educations. Why is that? A lot of this has to do with money. Schools are funded largely by local entities, and when those localities differ in wealth, privilege, and race, this can lead to vast inequalities. We can see this by looking at the Centennial State. According to the Education Law Center’s 2018
National Report Card, Colorado has a progressive funding system, but lacks sufficient base level funding, resulting in educational funding inequality (Baker, Farrier & Sciarra). Part of this funding disparity is due in part to the Gallagher Amendment which restricts the Residential Assessment Rate (Colorado Public Radio, 2020). This essentially limits the taxes which can be collected by the skyrocketing property values in Colorado. As a result of Gallagher, inequalities in underfunded districts become exacerbated, greatly disadvantaging already marginalized groups. This epitomizes how schools close to one another can differ in programs, curricula, test-scopes, and myriad other factors. By understanding how schools in Colorado are funded, we can dismantle harmful policies that largely target marginalized people, and also the educators who work within these communities. Because of funding inequalities, many teachers receive unlivable wages which restricts the amount and quality of teachers hired and retained. Funding and pay both greatly affect the community, which shapes the lives of urban youth. 

East High School in Denver, Colorado. (2020) Library of Congress.

I have chosen to study educational funding inequalities centered around Denver, Colorado. I am a product of Denver Public Schools, where I was fortunate to attend one of the best public schools in my area. However, I have seen how funding inequalities led to my own teachers working 2-3 jobs, or greatly hinder peer institutions near my high school. I have seen my own teachers protest in the street for fairer teacher pay. These are real issues that affect local communities as well as the trajectory of our nation’s youth in Denver Public Schools. Moreover, as an Education and Economics double major, I am fascinated by how schools are funded, and how effective resource allocation can impact the trajectory of students around the globe. Understanding how inequitable funding allocations or the lack of teacher emerge pay can lead to positive changes that forge equity, access, and learning.