This year brings significant budgetary challenges to Colorado, and the financial realities we face cannot be ignored. However, one thing is clear: we must not allow our schools, our students and our educators to bear the brunt of these shortfalls. In fact, for 15 years the state borrowed money from education to balance its budget. This was the Budget Stabilization Factor. After taking $11 billion from education during that time, Colorado ended the practice just last year. Now, lawmakers are wanting to reinstitute the BS factor, just not calling it that. The stakes are simply too high for our kids.

Colorado’s public education system is the foundation of our communities and the key to building a thriving future. Even in difficult financial times, it is imperative we prioritize investments in our schools. Every student deserves access to a quality education, and every educator deserves the resources and support needed to succeed. Budget challenges may be inevitable, but compromising the future of our children and educators should never be an option.

Just days ago, two comprehensive adequacy studies were released, and their findings shed stark light on the magnitude of our education funding crisis. These studies reveal Colorado is under-funding its students by an alarming $4,000 to $4,500 per student annually, which translates to a staggering shortfall of approximately $4 billion in total.

This funding gap is not just a statistic; it represents a systemic failure to provide the resources our students need to thrive academically, socially and personally. Each dollar missing from our schools is a missed opportunity — a lost chance for a student to have smaller class sizes, better access to mental health resources, or more engaging learning tools. For our educators, this shortfall translates to stagnant wages, inadequate classroom supplies and a lack of professional development opportunities critical for their success.

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While Gov. Polis and his colleagues at the National Governors Association are searching for ways to “better measure the success” of our schools, the truth is we already know what needs to be done. The adequacy studies make it undeniably clear what we, as public education advocates, have said for years: the most efficient way to improve student’s educational outcomes is to increase teacher pay to enhance retention. When we invest in our teachers, we invest directly in our students and our communities.

Moreover, paying teachers what they deserve is good stewardship of our taxpayer dollars. Retaining high-quality educators reduces turnover costs and ensures students benefit from the experience and stability of dedicated professionals. In short, investing in educators is not just the right thing to do — it’s the smart thing to do.

Success in education isn’t about devising new metrics or reinventing the wheel. It’s about implementing proven strategies that empower teachers, create supportive learning environments and meet the unique needs of every student. We know the solutions. What we need now is the political will to act.

Our state’s budget challenges are real, but so is the moral and economic imperative to invest in public education. Colorado’s children, families and communities deserve nothing less than our full commitment to closing this funding gap. The time to act is now — no excuses, no exceptions.

Kevin Vick is president of the Colorado Education Association.