School Finance and the Constitution

The financing of K-12 public education in Colorado over the past three decades has been affected by three constitutional amendments: the Gallagher Amendment, the TABOR Amendment, and Amendment 23.  Combined with the results of key court cases, these amendments have created a complex educational funding system for the General Assembly to negotiate.  Diminished tax revenue during recessionary periods has also contributed to the struggle for state and local governments to maintain consistent K-12 public education funding levels