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El Paso County – School Districts 2023-2024

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Public school systems play a crucial role in shaping local economies, influencing everything from property values to workforce development. The economic impact of local public schools extends far beyond education, affecting businesses, government budgets, and community well-being. Below are key ways in which public schools contribute to local economic health.

  1. Boosting Property Values and Municipal Revenue A strong public school system increases demand for housing in the district, driving up property values. Studies consistently show that homes in high-performing school districts command higher prices than comparable homes in weaker districts. Higher property values, in turn, generate more property tax revenue for local governments, which can be reinvested in infrastructure, public safety, and other community services.

    Additionally, businesses are more likely to establish themselves in areas with well-regarded schools, knowing that educated communities attract skilled workers and stable families. This creates a positive feedback loop where better schools lead to economic growth, which then further supports school funding.

  2. Workforce Development and Economic Competitiveness Public schools are the primary source of skilled labor for local industries. By providing foundational education, vocational training, and college preparation, schools ensure that businesses have access to qualified employees. Areas with strong school systems tend to have lower unemployment rates and higher average incomes because educated workers are more productive and adaptable to changing job markets.

    Investments in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs, career and technical education (CTE), and partnerships with local businesses further enhance workforce readiness. Companies often consider school quality when deciding where to locate, as they need a pipeline of talent to sustain operations.

  3. Direct Employment and Local Spending Public schools are among the largest employers in many communities, providing jobs for teachers, administrators, custodians, and support staff. These employees spend their salaries locally, supporting restaurants, retail stores, and service providers. The multiplier effect means that every dollar spent on school payroll circulates through the economy multiple times, stimulating additional business activity.

    Beyond salaries, schools also contribute to local economies through construction projects (e.g., building new facilities or renovating old ones), purchasing supplies from area vendors, and contracting services like transportation and food supply. These expenditures create jobs and generate tax revenue.

  4. Reducing Long-Term Public Costs Quality education correlates with lower crime rates, reduced reliance on social welfare programs, and better public health outcomes. Students who graduate from strong school systems are less likely to require government assistance, engage in criminal activity, or face chronic unemployment. This reduces the burden on taxpayers, who would otherwise fund prisons, healthcare for the uninsured, and social services.

    Early childhood education programs, in particular, have been shown to yield high long-term returns by improving graduation rates and future earnings while decreasing incarceration costs.

  5. Attracting and Retaining Families and Businesses Families with children prioritize school quality when choosing where to live. Communities with reputable schools experience population growth, which sustains local businesses and services. Conversely, declining school performance can lead to outmigration, shrinking the tax base and harming economic vitality.

    Similarly, corporations evaluating relocation opportunities assess school systems to ensure employees will have access to good education for their children. A weak school system can deter investment, while a strong one can attract high-paying jobs and stimulate economic diversification.

Conclusion

The local public school system is not just an educational institution but a cornerstone of economic stability and growth. By enhancing property values, developing a skilled workforce, employing residents, reducing public costs, and attracting businesses, schools create a thriving economic ecosystem. Policymakers and community leaders must recognize that investing in education yields broad economic benefits, making it one of the most impactful ways to ensure long-term prosperity.

The following report contains those school districts that are completely or partially within the county. The school districts are sorted in a left to right order based on the number of students that are estimated to live in the county, although they may actually attend a school outside the county boundary. Except where noted all figures are for the entire disctrict population and not just that portion that are in the county.

Where available, the district's name contains a link to that district's website.
 
Miami-Yoder School District 60-JT
Fremont RE-2  
Hanover School District 28  
Calhan School District RJ-1  
Peyton School District 23-JT  
Ellicott School District 22  
Manitou Springs School District 14  
Cheyenne Mountain School District 12  
Lewis-Palmer School District 38  
Fountain School District 8  
Widefield School District 3  
Harrison School District 2  
Colorado Springs School District 11  
School District 49  
Academy School District 20  
Grade Span of Agency
Number of Schools
Total Classroom Teachers
Student/Teachers

    Prekindergarten
    Kindergarten
    Grade 1
    Grade 2
    Grade 3
    Grade 4
    Grade 5
    Grade 6
    Grade 7
    Grade 8
    Grade 9
    Grade 10
    Grade 11
    Grade 12
PK thru 12 Students
Ungraded Students
Adult Education and Other Students
Special Ed IEP Students
Total Students

White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
Native American
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Undefined or Multiple Races

Prekindergarten Teachers
Kindergarten Teachers
Elementary Teachers
Secondary Teachers
Ungraded Class Teachers
Total FTE Teachers

Elementary School Counselors
Secondary School Counselors
School Counselors
Total Counselors

School Administrators
School Administrative Support Staff
Instr. Coord. and Super. to Staff
Student Support Services Staff
Librarians/media specialists
Library/Media Support Staff
School Psychologists
Paraprofessionals/Instructional Aides
Total School Staff

LEA Administrators
LEA Administrative Support Staff
Total LEA Staff

All Other Support Staff
Total Other Staff
PK-12
39
1,633
16.05

374
1,581
1,725
1,722
1,752
1,820
1,817
1,987
2,097
2,067
2,137
2,271
2,114
2,210
25,674
0
0
528
26,202

17,153
794
1,081
4,277
79
75
2,215

17
112
718
786
0
1,633

25
59
3
87

117
237
68
183
16
14
12
528
1,106

38
132
239

345
345
PK-12
30
1,365
18.62

451
1,392
1,421
1,482
1,454
1,410
1,425
1,398
1,404
1,444
1,893
2,508
2,826
4,359
24,867
0
0
542
25,409

12,629
1,209
463
7,875
165
88
2,438

21
107
548
689
0
1,365

11
106
5
122

110
184
77
199
3
13
15
542
1,066

38
85
200

248
248
PK-12
58
1,458
15.97

963
1,770
1,796
1,800
1,638
1,696
1,734
1,496
1,506
1,530
1,643
1,659
1,654
1,855
22,740
0
0
542
23,282

10,489
1,543
270
8,198
117
84
2,039

44
122
747
545
0
1,458

36
72
9
117

108
191
165
149
50
33
16
542
1,089

38
211
414

501
501
PK-12
28
776
15.88

0
948
991
1,006
968
980
937
996
984
918
873
871
779
773
12,024
0
0
301
12,325

2,830
1,425
265
6,384
58
78
984

0
63
402
311
0
776

12
26
2
40

75
86
73
134
1
16
14
301
627

22
59
154

205
205
PK-12
18
602
15.84

383
670
714
697
660
737
731
687
691
725
689
691
643
659
9,377
0
0
158
9,535

3,963
881
135
3,195
46
117
1,040

20
48
274
260
0
602

8
19
2
29

34
46
28
86
7
20
12
158
363

16
56
100

204
204
PK-12
13
483
16.67

490
654
569
651
624
607
593
549
555
522
541
544
485
501
7,885
0
0
168
8,053

3,441
799
124
2,402
67
155
897

17
39
226
201
0
483

7
14
0
21

37
49
24
65
8
3
13
168
344

21
51
96

113
113
PK-12
10
372
17.57

202
314
351
388
401
417
433
446
527
534
598
596
593
605
6,405
0
0
132
6,537

4,907
91
111
827
26
6
437

8
29
152
183
0
372

5
14
1
20

25
48
28
49
3
5
4
132
266

13
40
81

111
111
PK-12
9
251
15.20

131
220
211
250
245
255
280
273
297
314
343
336
302
306
3,763
0
0
51
3,814

2,646
85
108
594
16
14
300

6
17
107
121
0
251

5
9
0
14

13
18
6
30
1
2
5
51
120

10
18
34

59
59
PK-12
4
100
12.57

34
52
81
71
78
91
93
117
105
116
99
98
103
100
1,238
0
0
19
1,257

972
17
13
140
3
0
93

3
5
43
49
0
100

2
4
3
9

8
8
2
11
2
4
0
19
52

4
13
19

29
29
PK-12
3
65
16.11

104
64
73
79
73
65
76
61
72
71
70
53
60
69
990
0
0
57
1,047

492
37
3
403
4
2
49

3
5
27
30
0
65

1
3
0
4

7
5
1
6
1
3
1
57
81

2
10
13

29
29
PK-12
4
43
14.50

23
28
49
32
37
44
34
37
39
46
55
45
59
77
605
0
0
19
624

464
10
4
90
0
1
36

0
3
16
24
0
43

0
2
0
2

2
3
0
4
0
1
1
19
29

1
4
5

17
17
PK-12
2
36
12.47

20
29
33
31
38
32
27
32
31
30
35
40
30
28
436
0
0
13
449

368
34
4
28
0
0
2

1
2
14
19
0
36

1
1
0
2

4
0
0
2
0
1
1
13
21

1
6
7

14
14
PK-12
3
20
14.20

17
19
18
16
25
27
12
22
15
18
22
19
21
20
271
0
0
13
284

144
8
1
105
1
4
8

0
1
9
10
0
20

1
1
0
2

2
4
0
2
0
0
0
13
21

3
2
5

12
12
PK-12
3
81
17.57

108
79
92
97
109
107
84
108
99
101
103
108
97
84
1,376
0
0
47
1,423

1,028
7
12
266
6
1
56

2
7
37
35
0
81

3
4
0
7

5
8
1
11
0
1
3
47
75

6
8
15

38
38
PK-12
3
23
18.41

32
25
22
16
23
23
29
27
35
28
27
32
43
44
406
0
0
17
423

261
0
0
120
0
0
25

0
1
8
14
0
23

0
0
1
1

2
1
0
4
1
0
0
17
25

1
2
3

12
12


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus