Jeffco Public Schools eliminated 350 full-time positions as part of ongoing budget cuts between last school year and this school year.

The district has operated in a budget deficit in the range of tens of millions of dollars over the past few school years. The district cut $40 million from its budget this year to address shortfalls, including eliminating the full-time positions.

Devra Ashby, a spokesperson for the district, said the budget reductions can be attributed to the district’s shrinking enrollment. The district has estimated that it lost roughly 1,700 students this year.

Ninety of the positions eliminated were vacant or soon to be vacant due to retirements, Ashby said. The district did not have a precise number of the amount of employees who were laid off, since many employees whose positions were eliminated were given new positions, Ashby said.

“Our employment agreements with our two primary unions require us to support individuals in obtaining new positions and in many cases, require that we place individuals in a position to continue their employment if they choose,” Ashby said in a statement.

The cuts impacted positions in many departments across the district, including teachers, custodial staff and mental health professionals, 9News reported.

Jeffco Public Schools has about 14,000 employees.

The cuts come as Jeffco is set to ask voters in November to approve a $133 million mill levy override, which district officials said is needed to cover a multitude of issues. Top of the list is teacher pay raises, as well as facility maintenance and funding for educational programs.

Jeffco has said that pay in the district, the second largest in the state, has fallen well behind other districts, making it difficult to attract and retain teachers.

If passed, the MLO would be the first tax rate increase approved by Jeffco voters since 2018. The 2026 MLO would raise taxes by $3.50 per month for every $100,000 worth of home value, meaning a median homeowner in Jeffco would pay roughly $270 more per year in taxes.