Since 1993, the mission of SSEF has remained the same—to enhance academic accomplishment in Routt County through student-facing investments in staff, facilities, infrastructure, technology and curriculum, made available through our public schools—however, the needs of districts have evolved over time based on budget pressures related to growth and state funding. SSEF is now an integral source of revenue for Steamboat Springs School District (SSSD), and increasingly so for our neighboring school districts. For SSSD alone, our funding now represents over 10% of the annual school district operating budget for Steamboat schools. Last year, to support the goal of smaller class sizes, the SSEF paid the salaries of 17 full-time teachers and virtually the entire technology budget. In addition, SSEF funded other critical programming through our Community Grants and Innovation Grants.
Technology was once considered a luxury or extra for our schools. In today’s environment, staying current and innovative with technology is a necessity. Technology funding for our schools is nearly twenty-five percent of total SSEF allocations. The SSEF is not an extra source of revenue for Steamboat schools. It has become absolutely critical to simply keep our district operating at full capacity with reasonable class sizes and the staff necessary to support our diverse student population (GT, English Language Learners, special-needs groups, etc). In addition, funding through the SSEF has been instrumental in the effort to bring fiber broadband to the valley—a necessity in the modern world. This project will dramatically lower the cost of operations within the schools and enhance Steamboat’s position as a location-neutral community. Choose Grant History, by year, from the drop-down menu for more detail.
