Douglas County School District RE-1 Board of Education Packet Summary — 2026-08-25
Meeting: Regular Business Meeting - Aug 25 2026
Scheduled start: 5:00 PM
Location: DCSD Legacy Campus, 10035 S Peoria St, Parker, Colorado — Theater/Auditorium Room
The Board of Education's August 25 packet centers on a proposed $54 million Mill Levy Override (MLO), including possible placement on the November 3, 2026 ballot and a related employee-compensation resolution. The agenda also includes major 2024 Bond construction amendments, a proposed STEM homeschool enrichment program, graduation-policy revisions, board committee priorities, and a Community Connections Plan.
Key Items on the Agenda
Proposed $54 Million Mill Levy Override
Staff is scheduled to recap its recommendation for a $54 million 2026 Mill Levy Override before the Board considers a resolution that would place the issue on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
The proposed MLO would provide ongoing general-fund revenue for four stated purposes:
- Retaining and attracting teachers and staff through compensation intended to be more competitive with neighboring districts and better keep pace with inflation.
- Supporting increasing school-security costs, including school resource officers.
- Reducing student waitlists for Career and Technical Education programs, including the trades.
- Restoring student programming such as instrumental music in elementary schools.
The proposed ballot language would increase district taxes by $54 million beginning in 2026 for collection in 2027, with future collections tied to the applicable statutory limit. It also calls for an annual independent audit posted on the district website and oversight by a citizens' committee.
Packet materials estimate that in 2027 the proposal would cost residential taxpayers approximately $33.70 per year for every $100,000 in home value, or about $236 per year for a $700,000 home.
Staff Compensation if Voters Approve the MLO
A separate action item asks the Board to consider a resolution addressing staff compensation if voters approve the MLO in the November coordinated election.
The resolution is framed around the district's goals of retaining employees, reducing turnover, and moving employee compensation toward greater regional competitiveness. Because the compensation changes are contingent on voter approval of the MLO, the packet does not present them as funding already available to the district.
STEM Homeschool Enrichment Program
The Board is scheduled for an information/action item on an expansion application from STEM School Highlands Ranch. District staff recommends approving the charter school's request to add a supplemental, part-time Homeschool Enrichment Program for grades K–8, with implementation planned for fall 2026.
The proposed program would:
- Operate one full day per week, with Tuesdays for grades K–4 and Thursdays for grades 5–8, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
- Focus on Science & Engineering and Computer Science & Robotics.
- Adapt STEM School Highlands Ranch's existing K–12 curriculum and problem-based learning model for part-time participation.
- Keep participating students legally classified as homeschool students, with parents retaining primary responsibility for curriculum oversight and compliance.
- Incorporate real-world problem solving, industry-aligned field experiences, and quarterly student showcases.
The application documents 66 expressions of interest, 22 preview-day participants, and 22 formal pre-enrollment commitments between February 2 and May 21, 2026. Enrollment projections begin at 20 students in 2026–27 and rise to 60 students by 2030–31.
Major Financial and Construction Items
Up to $80 Million in Interest-Free Cash-Flow Borrowing
The consent agenda includes proposed participation in the Colorado State Treasurer's Education Tax Revenue Anticipation Notes program. The district anticipates a possible cash-flow shortage from January through March because of the timing of property-tax collections.
Staff recommends authorizing participation with authority to borrow up to $80 million during the 2026–27 school year. The packet describes ETRANs as short-term, interest-free loans intended to address temporary cash-flow shortages and repaid by the end of the fiscal year.
2024 Bond Construction Amendments
Three consent-agenda items would establish or expand construction commitments for summer 2027 capital-improvement work funded from the voter-approved 2024 Bond Plan:
- Castle Rock 2027 Package: Staff recommends a first Guaranteed Maximum Price amendment with Bryan Construction for $8,307,489.
- Highlands Ranch 2027 Package A: A proposed $4,030,476 amendment with Haselden Construction would fund an early-procurement package, allowing purchasing and submittal work to begin for long-lead mechanical and electrical equipment.
- Parker 2027 Package: Staff recommends a first Guaranteed Maximum Price amendment with GH Phipps Construction for $8,147,516.
Together, the three amendments represent approximately $20.49 million in proposed construction commitments, all identified in the packet as being funded through 2024 Bond funds.
Policy and Governance
Policy IKF — Graduation Requirements
The Board is scheduled for a second reading of proposed revisions to Policy IKF, Graduation Requirements, as an information/action item. Packet materials from the earlier first reading describe the revisions as intended to better define the term "full-time student" in alignment with the Code of Colorado Regulations.
Board Committee Priorities
The Board is expected to review proposed 2026–27 priorities for several board committees, with both clean and redline versions included in the packet. Materials cover priorities for the District Accountability Committee, Fiscal Oversight Committee, Mill Bond Oversight Committee, and Student Advisory Group.
The agenda includes an information/action item seeking approval of the proposed 2026–27 Community Connections Plan. The packet identifies the plan as a governance item scheduled for a 15-minute Board discussion.
CASB Delegate Assembly Resolutions
The Board is also scheduled to review Colorado Association of School Boards Delegate Assembly resolutions. This item is informational and includes the proposed CASB resolutions along with DCSD's legislative priorities.
Oversight and Community Issues
Mill Bond Oversight Committee Annual Report
The Mill Bond Oversight Committee chair is scheduled to present the committee's 2026 annual report, followed by Board questions. The item is informational and precedes the Board's MLO-related agenda items.
Castle Rock School Land and Cash Fees
The Board is scheduled for an informational discussion concerning Castle Rock Town Council Ordinance 2026-027, which would amend Section 16.08.120 of the town code regarding the use of land and cash fees dedicated for school purposes.
The packet includes two district letters connected to the proposal: comments submitted before the ordinance's August 18 first reading and an August 20, 2026 letter requesting a delay. It also includes a reference to the August 18 Castle Rock Town Council meeting recording.
Other Consent and Procedural Items
In addition to the major financial items, the consent agenda includes:
- A recommendation for a new member of the Mill Bond Oversight Committee.
- Personnel changes.
- A resolution designating district representatives to Colorado High School Activities Association committees.
The joint-motion agenda separately includes proposed approval of draft minutes from the August 11, 2026 Regular Business Meeting and August 17, 2026 Special Meeting.
What to Watch at the Meeting
The most consequential scheduled decisions involve the proposed Mill Levy Override. The Board is expected to move from an informational recap into consideration of whether to place the $54 million MLO before voters on November 3, while separately considering how employee compensation would change if voters approve the measure.
Other significant action items include approximately $20.49 million in 2024 Bond-funded construction amendments, the proposed STEM School Highlands Ranch homeschool expansion, and the second reading of Policy IKF. The agenda also provides for public comment beginning at approximately 5:30 PM.
The meeting is scheduled to adjourn at approximately 9:55 PM. The agenda states that the Board's next meeting is scheduled for September 15, 2026.
Civic Translator summarized publicly available meeting materials for the Douglas County School District RE-1 Board of Education.
