2020 Bond and Mill Levy

On August 20, 2020, the DPS Board of Education voted on a resolution to adopt a bond and mill levy proposal for the November 2020 ballot. Denver voters will be asked to consider two measures: a $795 million bond for building and maintaining schools, and a $32 million Debt-Free Schools ballot initiative that would provide $32 million in school-based investment priorities. Read the full set of funding recommendations here.

If approved, the bond proposal will require an increase in the district’s bond debt but is not expected to raise property taxes based on current and forecasted property values. The mill levy proposal, if approved, is expected to cost about $4.25 per month or $51 annually for owners of a Denver home valued at the median $465,000.

How Will the 2020 Bond/Mill Benefit My School? District Overview »

School-specific investments »

Proposed Bond Investments

Capacity – $65 million
Quality Learning Environments (funds for classrooms, fields, labs, gyms, etc) – $65 million
Maintenance – $208 million
Cooling, including air conditioning, for 24 schools*- $128.5 million
Technology & Safety – $65 million
Montbello Campus – $130 million
Certificate of Participation (COP) Payback – $80 million
General Fund Relief – $25.5 million
Capacity Utilization Fund – $6 million
Elimination of Kepner COP lease payments – $11 million
Additional School-Determined Funds for high-needs schools – $2.2 million
Food and Nutrition Services Greenhouse – $2.1 million
Master Planning – $2 million
Turf Replacement – Evie Dennis Campus, South High School, West High School, North High School – $3.27 million
Bruce Randolph Hydroponics/Greenhouse Program – $1.14 million

Proposed Debt-Free Schools (Mill Levy) Investments

These investments will benefit all DPS schools:

Low Wage and Compensation Increases – $17 million
Mental Health Staff and Support – $3 million
Nursing Services – $4 million
Special Education Services, including paraprofessionals and speech language pathologists – $2 million
Charter Share – $6 million

*Schools to Receive Air Conditioning

Ashley Elementary	Force Elementary	Smedley (Denver Montessori/Denver Online)
Carson Elementary	Grant Beacon Middle School	Smiley (McAuliffe International)
Columbine Elementary	Hallett Academy	Smith Elementary
Cowell Elementary	Knapp Elementary	Stedman Elementary
Denison Montessori	Manual High School	Steele Elementary
Ebert (Polaris Elementary)	Merrill Middle School/C3 Elementary	Thomas Jefferson High School
Fairview Elementary	Rishel (KIPP Denver Collegiate/MSLA)	Valverde Elementary
Fallis (Denver Green School)	Sabin World School	West High School

*DPS is integrating a requirement for each design team to consider alternative, sustainable cooling solutions including, but not limited to, mechanical and/or passive solutions to provide thermal comfort for the building.