Election Day November 3rd, 2026

Telluride School District Finance Forecast: Why we need to consider a Ballot Measure to Increase our Mill Levy Override, May 2026

Additional Resources:

“Why Rising Property Values Don’t Mean More Money for Telluride Schools”, by Chris Browne Guest Commentary, Telluride Times

“Colorado ‘Underfuding Schools by Billions’ Prompts Telluride’s Mill Levy Solution”, by Owen Perkins News Editor, Telluride Time

1. SB26-135, passed in the 2026 legislative session,  enacts the following primary functions:

• Voter Referral: It instructs the Colorado Secretary of State to place a question on the November 2026 ballot asking voters to let the state keep revenue that would otherwise be refunded under TABOR.
• K-12 Education Funding: It creates a "positive factor" to boost public K-12 school funding by up to 2% annually for 10 years, with funds required to go specifically toward increasing teacher pay, improving retention, reducing class sizes, and expanding career/technical courses.

Current estimates are that Telluride School District would receive $262,000 in additional revenue for 2027-28 if the ballot measure passes in November 2026.

2. Initiative #195

           Telluride School District Presentation on Initiative 195

           Initiative 195 – Just the Facts

The Telluride School District R-1 Board of Education is composed of 5 volunteer members elected at-large serving 4-year terms. The next  School Board Election will be in November, 2027. A president and vice president are selected from the board membership by a majority of the voting members. Acting together, the Board of Education’s roles and responsibilities fall into the following categories:

• Set policies that govern school operations; implementation is the superintendent's role
• Approve and oversee the school district budget
• Hire and evaluate the superintendent
• Approve educational standards and monitor instructional quality
• Make decisions about school properties and ensure safety
• Set salaries, benefits, and employment terms via policy
• Maintain open communication with staff, students, and the community

Legal Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old.
• Must have lived in and be a registered elector of the Telluride R-1 School District for at least 12 consecutive months.
• Must not have been convicted of a sexual offense against a child.
• Must not be an employee of the district.

Desired Qualities in Board Member

• Commitment to honestly and sincerely serve all students—not just specific groups.
• Ability to listen, communicate clearly, and collaborate.
• Willingness to support group decisions even if personally opposed.
• Openness to learning and development.
• Distinguish governance (board) from management (staff).

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