While neighboring states and others continue to invest more in schools, roads, colleges and health care, Colorado is falling behind. We can’t let that continue.
Essential Public Services
Colorado ranks 47th in total state spending per $1,000 of personal income – and that’s when economy was in better shape between 2006 and 2008.
Source: Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, 2009
Only three states invest less than Colorado in K–12 and higher education, health care, and transportation.
Source: Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, 2009
Colorado ranks 47th in total state expenditures per $1,000 of personal income. It would take $4.89 billion to reach the per $1,000 of personal income U.S. average.
Source: Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, 2009
Colorado ranks 45th in total state expenditures per capita. It would take $3.62 billion to reach the per capita U.S. average.
Source: Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, 2009
Higher Education
Only two states invest less in higher education than Colorado. We rank 48th for investing in higher education per $1,000 of personal income. It would take $761 million to reach the per $1,000 of personal income U.S. average.
Source: Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, 2009
Colorado ranks 48th for investment in higher education per capita. It would take $594 million to reach the per capita U.S. average.
Source: Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, 2009
Colorado boasts the 3rd highest percentage of college graduates in nation, but ranks 24th in sending high school graduates to college. We are growing our economy with workers educated outside our state.
Source: Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, 2008-2009
People with bachelor’s degrees earn almost $1 million more than high school graduates over lifetime.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2002
K–12 Education
Colorado invests $1,449 less per pupil than the national average. Our neighbors invest this much more per pupil:
| New Mexico | $1,011 |
| Kansas | $1,702 |
| Nebraska | $2,509 |
| Montana | $3,146 |
| Wyoming | $5,612 |
Source: EdWeek, Quality Counts, 2009
Colorado ranks 40th in K–12 spending per pupil, based on 2007 figures.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009
Only Florida invests less than Colorado in K–12 education per $1,000 of personal income. We rank 49th, the second-lowest per $1,000 of income.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009
Colorado ranks 38th in elementary school student-teacher ratios. This matters because class sizes of 13–17 yield higher performance, especially among low-income students.
Source: EdWeek, Quality Counts, 2008; Colorado School Finance Project/Augenblick, Palich and Associates, 2009
Children’s Health and Medicaid
Colorado ranks 49th for investment in covering families under Medicaid per $1,000 of personal income.
Source: Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, 2009
Colorado ranks 35th for investment in covering low-income children per $1,000 of personal income. It would take a combined $1.57 billion to reach the per $1,000 of personal income U.S. average.
Source: Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, 2009
Colorado ranks 49th for investment in covering families under Medicaid per capita.
Source: Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, 2009
Colorado ranks 31st for investment in covering low-income children per capita. It would take a combined $1.23 billion to reach the per capita U.S. average.
Source: Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, 2009
Transportation and Highways
Colorado ranks 48th for transportation and highway investment per $1,000 of personal income. It would take $683 million to reach the per $1,000 of personal income U.S. average.
Source: Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, 2009
Colorado ranks 48th for investment on transportation and highways per capita. It would take $573 million to reach the per capita U.S. average.
Source: Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, 2009