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Denver's school override sends roughly $4 million a year to career and tech programs
The override and CTE, by the numbers
- $44 million
- nearly, more a year for DPS from the override
- $4 million
- roughly, in yearly CTE increases
- 2
- industry clusters in DPS's CTE program
Source: Denver Gazette
If you have a kid in Denver Public Schools, here's where some of the new money goes. Voters passed the mill levy override, which gives DPS nearly $44 million more annually. A committee decided career and technical education, or CTE, gets roughly $4 million of that each year.
Board President Xóchitl Gaytán said the promise to boost CTE was one major reason voters said yes. “Parents have made it clear that they want CTE programming and more CTE availability for their children,” she said.
- CTE centers now: one, CEC Early College
- Next center: slated to open for 2027-28
- Clusters: caring for communities, and building and moving
- Override money: an annual raise, not a one-time increase
Not everyone was sold before the vote. Former board president Theresa Peña told CBS Colorado she believes “this superintendent and this school board have failed our children.” DCTA President Rob Gould backed Ballot Issue 4A, saying positions go unfilled because people can't afford to live and work in Denver.
CTE students graduate at 93%, above the national average
Source: Denver Gazette
View as table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| CTE students nationally | 93% |
| National average, roughly | 80% |



