Q: How will I know if my child needs to be bused?
A: School bus service generally will be provided for elementary school students who live more than one mile from school and for secondary school students who live more than two miles from school. Information on transportation policies, bus routes and more can be found by selecting Educ. Supt. > Transportation from the front page of the district website.

Q: How do I pay for my child’s lunches?
A: Cash, check, money order, or Cafe Prepay our web-based credit card system. Cafe Prepay is not available in all schools at this time, but will be by the end of this school year.

Q: How many meals does the district serve per year on average?
A: 2,426,616 lunches last year. Breakfast is available in some sites as well.

Q: What is being done to ensure students are getting healthy meals?
A: We must follow the USDA guidelines for the national school lunch and breakfast programs. All districts nationwide are also working on wellness programs that include many aspects of the school day. These must be in place by July 1, 2006.

Q: How are dangerous food allergies handled at schools, particularly peanut allergies?
A: All elementary schools are a peanut-protected zone. Our food bids certify all products are made on “nut-free” production lines. We now offer sun butter as a wonderful alternative to peanut butter. Middle and high schools post signs as to products that could contain peanuts.

Q: What is a mill levy?
A: A mill levy is the tax rate that is applied to the assessed value of a property. One mill is $1 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Q: How often does the district propose referred (bond and/or budget) measures for voter approval?
A: There have been three budget measures in the history of the district. Bond measures are proposed based on recommendations on capacity needs by the Long Range Planning Committee. Most recently, bond measures have been proposed about every three years.

Q: Douglas County has the second highest median income in the nation. Does that translate into higher than average school funding?
A: Due to a state funding equalization formula that provides the primary funding for Douglas County students, the revenues do not reflect the county’s high median income. Some people are surprised to learn that Douglas County is in fact one of the lowest funded districts in the Denver Metropolitan Area. While voters have supported budget override elections in the past, district leadership has been very cautious in asking for additional funds. Therefore, the total per pupil funding in Douglas County is significantly lower than comparable districts, such as Cherry Creek or Boulder.

Q: Does the district offer surplus equipment or furniture for sale?
A: Surplus sales are held periodically to sell furniture and equipment that is no longer being used by the district. For more information, contact Purchasing and Contracting at 303-387-0300.

Q: How do I become a vendor for the district?
A: Purchases of supplies, equipment and services in support of district operations are processed through Purchasing and Contracting. Please call 303-387-0300 for information about how to do business with Douglas County School District.

Q: Can I rent space in a school to offer a special program for children?
A: Yes. It is the intent of the district to make school facilities available for public use to the greatest extent possible without infringing on their primary purpose—educating children. Use of buildings/facilities will be denied if an organization intends to use school facilities to engage in conduct that is against federal, state, or local law. Contact the facilities coordinator for fees and guidelines at 303-387-0467.