Lawmakers in the state house are beginning debate this week on a school funding bill that’s already cleared the Senate and includes some $250 million in cuts to K-12 education.
During testimony Monday at a hearing of the House Education Committee, Canon City Schools superintendent Robin Gooldy said his southern Colorado district has been faced with about three million dollars in cuts, which he added has led to teacher layoffs and larger class sizes.
"It puts our funding back to where it was ten years ago," Gooldy told the committee. "Imagine trying to operate at today’s prices with income ten years ago, that’s the challenge that we face."
Education groups are lobbying lawmakers to further restore some of the cuts. But it’s unclear where that money would come from at this time.
Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper’s budget originally called for about $350 million worth of cuts to K-12, but that was pared down by the state senate.
