Cherry Creek Schools is bracing for a tough year ahead, announcing Thursday that 159 jobs will be cut and roughly $23 million will be trimmed from next year’s budget as the district works to close a multi-million shortfall. The reductions target both central office roles and school-level support staff, including positions that serve special education and gifted students. District leaders stressed that the proposals are preliminary while the school board and administration finish their reviews and lay out next steps.
Cherry Creek, which oversees roughly an $840 million budget, is projecting about a $15.4 million deficit this year and has identified about $23 million in reductions to help close the gap, according to The Denver Post. The 159 job cuts are part of that broader cost-cutting plan.
In an email to families, interim superintendent Jennifer Perry acknowledged the pain behind the numbers. “These decisions are not easy, but they are necessary to ensure the long-term strength and stability of our district,” she wrote, directing parents to the district’s accountability page for a full list of preliminary impacts, as reported by Denver7. Perry framed the moves as cost containment and tighter oversight rather than any immediate change to classroom staffing ratios.
What the Cuts Will Hit
The preliminary list puts most of the reductions in school support roles and central administration rather than in front-line teaching positions. The district’s plan would cut about 36 full-time central personnel jobs in areas such as transportation, IT, maintenance, fiscal services, communications, human resources and leadership. Another 123 full-time-equivalent school support positions would be eliminated, including about 51 special-education FTE and 37 gifted-and-talented FTE, according to The Denver Post. District leaders say classroom ratios should stay essentially steady, although some schools could see shifts tied to enrollment changes.
Contracts and Spending Trims
Beyond staffing, a sizable chunk of the savings comes from trimming outside contracts and other central non-personnel costs. Local reporting notes that the district plans to eliminate an approximately $850,000 contract with Education Accelerated and a $350,000 contract with Washington, D.C. firm FLGA. Denver7 also reports that Education Accelerated has received nearly $3 million in contracts from the district in recent years. Those vendor cuts feed into an $8.9 million central non-personnel savings line that officials say they have identified.
Leadership Questions and the Audit
The belt-tightening is unfolding against a backdrop of leadership turmoil at district headquarters. Former superintendent Chris Smith resigned in late January, and his wife, former chief human resources officer Brenda Smith, has been on administrative leave while the school board ordered an outside audit and tightened contract oversight, according to reporting by the Denver Gazette. Colorado Politics reported that the district is handling a payout tied to Chris Smith’s resignation that the board will review, a reminder of why trustees say stronger financial controls are now front and center.
What’s Next for Families and Staff
For now, officials are calling the list of reductions “preliminary” and warning that details could shift as the board, auditors and legal advisers complete their work. The district has directed families to its website for the most current information and has said affected employees will be notified in line with district policy. Contact information and headquarters details are posted on the official site for Cherry Creek Schools, where parents and staff can track updates as the budget process moves ahead.
