Larger class sizes, dirtier and more crowded classrooms and longer walks to school are among likely results of voters' rejecting tax increases for schools last November.

Three metro-area districts that lost at the polls are sorting through options to cut their budgets for next year and succeeding years.

Douglas County must chop $37 million over two years. Jefferson County, the state's largest school district, must slice $35 million over three years.

The much smaller Mapleton school district in Adams County will trim $2.1 million from next year's budget.

Some of the cuts will affect classrooms, school leaders say.

In Douglas County, money- saving ideas include changes in busing and increases in class size at elementary and middle schools.

Douglas County's problems were compounded by voters' rejection of a bond issue to build more schools for the state's fastest-growing district.

The district has gained 14,000 students since 2004.

"We will educate the kids," said district spokeswoman Whei Wong.

"But we don't have any funds to build any schools right now. We're going to be packing 'em in."

In Jefferson County, money- saving ideas floated by the administration in December are undergoing public and school board comment.

The proposals include elimination of more than 460 jobs, although the school board does not have to adopt the entire package.

The district employs about 12,800 people in full- and part-time jobs.

Some 270 positions on the chopping block deal directly with students. Most are teachers, but some are counselors, psychologists and social workers.

Superintendent Cindy Stevenson said the cuts can be made through attrition the first year, but by the third year, "it's nearly impossible" not to have layoffs.

"By year three, I'm really worried" about hurting the quality of programs, Stevenson said.

The proposal includes a reduction of 22 bus drivers and 39 custodians.

That means some bus routes would be combined and fewer classrooms would be cleaned each night.

In Mapleton, spokesman Damon Brown said, "We're looking at every single thing we can look at and leaving no stone unturned."

Class sizes could grow, busing could be reduced, and some administrative jobs could be sliced, Brown said.

Sharon Wille, a 56-year-old mother of four children who have attended Douglas County's Highlands Ranch High School, believes students will continue to receive a top-notch education.

But she wonders whether a teacher prep course her daughter wants to take as a senior next year will be available because it's not required.

"I know they may look at classes that might not be core," Wille said.

Kay Dry, a parent and member of Douglas County's Long Range Planning Committee, said, "I find it sad that here we're one of the wealthiest districts in the state - if not the country - and we're not willing to invest in our school system."

Basic 'rithmetic

Three metro-area school districts face budget cuts next year and into the future.

* Douglas County: Needs to cut $37 million over two years, likely by increasing class sizes and changing bus schedules.

* Jefferson County: Needs to cut $35 million over three years, which may include cutting up to 460 jobs.

* Adams County: Mapleton school district is looking to trim $2.1 million out of next year's budget by increasing class sizes and cutting administrative positions.

Back to Top