Bleak Funding Trends Won’t Stop the Steamboat Springs School District and Community From Providing Best Possible Education for Local Youth
Despite growing populations and rapidly-expanding communities, schools throughout the state of Colorado are scrambling to find ways to generate the financial support necessary to provide adequate educational opportunities and programming to students.
According to the Colorado School Finance Project, teacher salaries in Colorado were well below the national average, with states such as Utah, Massachusetts, West Virginia, and Oklahoma providing better pay for public school educators. Further, per-pupil-spending has lagged behind the national average as well, with each student receiving $2,211 less in state spending than the national average in 2022.
State ballot measures, which were withdrawn by proponents on Sept. 4, could have made a dire situation even worse.
While these statistics won’t strike many as breaking news, what has become a story across Colorado is the high degree of collaboration that has emerged between school districts and communities that surround them in order to meet, and exceed, the needs of students despite state funding shortfalls.
The Steamboat Springs School District (SSSD), and the community that surrounds it, has become a prime example of how a multi-tiered framework can ensure the best for staff and students.
Dr. Celine Wicks has worked in the SSSD since 2019, when she joined the district as the Principal of Strawberry Park Elementary. She held that position for three years before transitioning to her current role as superintendent. Her background at both the elementary and secondary levels, in addition to her experience in finance and as a graduate-level professor, has helped the SSSD rise to new heights amidst funding and staffing challenges.
Courtesy Photo/Steamboat Springs School District
Dr. Wicks opened up to Steamboat Locals about how the deep level of community support rooted in Steamboat Springs has translated into success at the most crucial level – ensuring a high-quality education for the students of the SSSD.
“We are incredibly fortunate in Steamboat Springs to rely heavily on the Education Fund Board (EFB), a voter-approved revenue stream that helps us address key funding gaps,” explained Wicks. ‘These funds are instrumental in maintaining small class sizes – 20:1 at the elementary level and 25:1 at the secondary level.”
The outcomes of the work of the district and its staff, along with the support of the Education Fund Board and the community, has led to teachers being able to provide “individualized attention” while fostering deeper connections as well as a high-degree of academic support at the classroom- and school-level.
Dr. Wicks also explained that bringing in new staff from outside of the Yampa Valley has been a challenge due to the high cost of living and housing shortages. To overcome this, the district has recruited candidates that meet the qualifications for alternative licensure programs while also working with the city and other organizations to find affordable employee housing. In addition, the district works with local education programs to attract potential employees while also sending representatives to job fairs throughout Colorado and neighboring states.
Through these processes, the district has welcomed educators from a diverse range of backgrounds, which has benefitted the students and district by creating a culture that is centered on collaboration and the embracing of diversity.
The passion of staff also contributes to the success of the district through the integration of unique perspectives and research-based teaching methods in classrooms. Thus, the district has been able to meet its academic goals while also fostering an attitude of success and grit amongst the student population.
Dr. Wicks also noted that the broad and deep level of support has come from the entirety of the Steamboat Springs community, including the Steamboat Springs Education Association, and that those partnerships are continuing to reinforce the district.
Courtesy Photo/Steamboat Springs School District
“Local organizations and businesses partner with us to promote job fairs and career pathways, helping us recruit talented educators,” she explained. “The community’s willingness to collaborate and invest in our schools has been vital in sustaining our programs and addressing staffing challenges.”
Despite a high-degree of community support and ingenuity, Wicks pointed out that a stabilizing funding base at the state level is essential for districts to be able to engage in long-term financial planning.
“Beyond financial support, continued collaboration among schools, local organizations, and the community plays a critical role in our success,” closed Wicks. “We are grateful for the partnerships that help us bridge gaps, but it’s essential that state and federal funding align with the realities of modern education, ensuring that districts like ours are not forced to rely so heavily on local solutions to fill persistent shortfalls.”
In November, Steamboat Locals’ writer John Camponeschi will be presenting a four-part series of stories that dive deeper into the ways that the SSSD, and other Yampa Valley schools, are providing the best possible education for students with limited resources.
Read Part 2 – Hayden Valley School District
This series of stories is proudly presented to you by Jon Wade and The Steamboat Group as a continuation of their commitment to “Keep Steamboat Special” by supporting non-profits and events that promote a positive and ever-improving Steamboat lifestyle! You can also support their efforts simply by making a request on the Steamboat Locals Choice for Music. For every song request made in the month of November, The Steamboat Group will donate $2 to Boys and Girls Club of Northwest Colorado, up to $500 total!