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Financial Transparency for Colorado Schools

Welcome to the Colorado K12 Financial Transparency website. Here you will find revenue and expenditure information for each school, district, and BOCES throughout the state. Click below to learn more, or begin exploring using the search and map features.

The Fiscal Year 2022-2023 data was posted on July 1, 2024. This website is updated with the prior year's fiscal data no later than July 1 each year, pursuant to HB14-1292.

Search for a School, District, or BOCES

State Snapshot

Gain state-level context. Explore key financial Colorado data from the platform and discover the value of engaging, easy-to-read financial transparency.

How to Use this Site

Data tells an important story. Be part of that story. Learn how to make the most of the Financial Transparency for Colorado Schools website here.

FAQ

What inspired this website?

House Bill 14-1292 called for the creation of a public-facing financial transparency website that would translate the spending for school sites, districts, and other state-funded organizations into a format that is readable by a layperson.
Where is this data coming from?

The financial data for this site is provided by the public school districts and BOCES in the state, as posted on their financial transparency webpages.
When are yearly data collected?

CDE begins collecting district financial data in August, for the fiscal year ended on June 30th. The data must be submitted by December 31 each year. With an approved extension from the Office of the State Auditor, the data & audit submission is due 60 days after December 31st.
When is this website updated with new data?

This website is updated with the prior year's fiscal data no later than July 1 each year, pursuant to HB14-1292. The Fiscal Year 2022-2023 data was posted on July 1, 2024. The Fiscal Year 2023-2024 data will be posted on July 1, 2025.
How can I explore this further?

The financial data posted follows the standard Financial Policies and Procedures Chart of Accounts.

These are the 2022-2023 Fiscal Year data files available for download: District Level Data File, School Level Data File, Property Tax Breakdown File, and ESSA Per Pupil Spending File.

Historical datasets and additional resources can be downloaded from the CDE School Finance financial transparency webpage under the Additional Resources section.
What is "Local Control"?

Colorado's state constitution grants local school boards broad control over curriculum, personnel, school calendars and classroom policy. This control also extends to budgetary decisions, which are recorded under the standard Chart of Accounts.

Making Financial Data Engaging for Everyone

True financial transparency means everyone has a clear understanding of the significance and use of data. Equip yourself with the knowledge and information necessary to drive powerful conversations within your schools and community.

ESSA Compliant

Compliant with federal ESSA regulations and Coloradoʼs ESSA State Plan.

What is the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)?

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) replaced the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Both laws reauthorized the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Passage of ESSA provides a much anticipated opportunity to improve outcomes for all students and gives states more flexibility and decision-making power at the local level. This law also requires states to develop plans that address standards, assessments, school and district accountability and special help for struggling schools. Read more at the Colorado Department of Education or US Department of Education websites.

How does ESSA relate to school finance in Colorado?

The Colorado K12 Financial Transparency website is limited to funding and spending information shared with the general public. Colorado Department of Education (CDE) also publishes District Performance Framework and School Performance Framework reports annually. These reports can be found at the CDE website.

Where do I find out about school performance?

What elements of the Colorado K12 Financial Transparency website meet the ESSA requirements?

Understandable and Uniform

ESSA requires that all financial data be reported in an understandable and uniform format. The website was designed to provide access to school, district and BOCES financial data as a downloadable chart of accounts as well as in an easy-to-read framework that categorizes spending and funding breakdowns. Each dashboard displays the same data in the same way, and via the Comparisons option, up to 4 schools, districts or BOCES can be compared side-by-side.

Accessible

The website is designed and developed per WCAG2.0 guidelines and available via any modern internet-connected web browser.

Per-Pupil Expenditures

Each school and district now includes a breakdown of per-pupil spending by federal, state and local sources. This information is accessible from the Spending section of each school/district main dashboard and Comparison page. This data is also exportable according to Interstate Financial Reporting standards from those locations.

Financial Transparency for Colorado Schools

Search for a School, District, or BOCES

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How to Use this Site

FAQ

Making Financial Data Engaging for Everyone