Widefield School District 3 2023 Community Survey

Magellan Strategies is pleased to present the topline results of a Widefield School District 3 online community survey of residents and parents of students. The survey was conducted from September 18th to October 1st, 2023.

Residents of Widefield School District 3 expressed very positive views of the district, with large majorities holding favorable opinions and approving of the job it was doing educating students. Teachers were also highly regarded, receiving strong favorability ratings. A majority believed the district was heading in the right direction, though a notable share remained unsure. Opinions on financial capacity were somewhat more mixed, with just over half saying the district had sufficient resources, while a sizable minority disagreed. At the same time, a clear majority believed the district was fiscally responsible and spent taxpayer money wisely.

Residents showed strong alignment on what defines high-quality schools. Nearly all respondents rated a safe and secure learning environment, teaching core academic subjects, and attracting and retaining high-quality teachers as top priorities. Career and technical education, critical thinking skills, and STEM programming were also widely valued. In contrast, modern school buildings and updated athletic facilities were viewed as less important relative to instructional quality and student outcomes, as reflected in the table on page 4.

When asked to rank priorities, safety and security emerged as the most important, followed by having highly qualified staff and improving academic achievement. Mental health support and innovative curriculum were seen as mid-tier priorities, while updated school and athletic facilities were consistently ranked lowest. These findings reinforced a clear preference for investing in people and learning outcomes over physical infrastructure.

Residents were generally open to efficiency measures aimed at addressing enrollment imbalances. Majorities supported moving students from under-enrolled schools to other schools and showed even stronger support for adjusting school boundaries. These results indicated a willingness among residents to consider operational changes if they improved efficiency and resource allocation across the district.

When evaluating specific growth-related solutions, residents showed moderate to strong support for options such as expanding Grand Mountain School, redistributing students to other schools, and using portable classrooms, though support varied by approach. These responses reflected recognition of enrollment pressures and openness to a range of strategies to address capacity challenges in growing areas of the district.

Support for future bond measures was strongest for maintaining and improving existing facilities. Large majorities supported bond measures to renovate older elementary, junior high, and high school buildings, while support was lower—but still majority-positive—for improving or building new athletic facilities. Additionally, there was very strong support for a mill levy override to increase teacher pay, with large majorities indicating willingness to support a modest property tax increase to attract and retain high-quality educators.

Additional information about district programs and offerings further improved perceptions. As shown in the table on page 7, learning about security measures, college credit opportunities, career pathways, and specialized academic programs made large majorities more favorable toward the district. Residents also expressed mixed views on the current condition of school buildings, with many rating them as fair or poor, and a majority believed that students benefit from updated facilities. Overall, the survey showed strong community support for the district, clear priorities focused on safety, teachers, and academics, and broad willingness to support funding measures that align with those priorities.