District overview
Funding structure, how it compares to peers, and where major projects stand.
Garfield School District Re-2 serves about 4,700 students in Rifle, Silt and New Castle in Garfield County. A five-member elected board of directors meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. Day-to-day costs, including salaries, come from the state school finance formula, which the district says supports raises of only about 2% a year. Buildings are generally paid for only with voter-approved bonds. The board put a mill levy override (4A) and a bond (4B) on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot.
The district says it serves about 4,700 students.
The district says it is losing staff to neighboring districts that pay more, with the highest turnover among support staff and special education paraprofessionals.
4A would raise $4.7 million a year for class sizes and pay. 4B would borrow $118 million for six building and housing projects.
Fathom Jensen is president. Two seats were filled in Nov. 2025 and three seats are expected on the Nov. 2027 ballot.
This page relies on agendas and the district's own advocacy page. Budget totals, vote results and election results were not in the collected records.
Bond projects: Rifle High School safety and access, Rifle High School renovations, an early learning center, Coal Ridge High School addition and renovation, affordable rental housing, and technology. Results were not in the collected records.
Voter-approved bond and property tax override
The board was asked Feb. 25 to approve a grant application for roof repair. Award status was not in the collected records.
Garfield County federal mineral lease grant (applied for)
$4,700,000
Would fund ongoing class sizes and competitive pay for all Re-2 teachers and staff. District estimate with 4B: about $38 per year per $100,000 of home value. Voting took place Nov. 3, 2026; results not yet in the collected records.
Official source · verified Nov 7, 2026
$118,000,000
Six projects: Rifle High School safety and access and renovations, an early learning center, a Coal Ridge High School addition, affordable rental housing, and technology. District says it fits within existing levy capacity; repayment cost up to $225 million. Results not yet in the collected records.
Official source · verified Nov 7, 2026
Two four-year seats were on the Nov. 4, 2025 ballot. Megan Heil (District A) and Steven Beaulieu (District E) took the oath of office Dec. 3, 2025.
Official source · verified Nov 7, 2026
The directors elected in Nov. 2023 (Fathom Jensen, Chance Jenkins and Cassie Haskell) hold four-year terms, so their seats are expected on the Nov. 2027 ballot. Filing dates have not been published.
Official source · verified Nov 7, 2026
Practical guides to school phone policies, district budgets, and administrator hiring.
Explore resources →Built from 25 board and workshop agendas posted on the district's Diligent Community portal (Nov. 2025 to Nov. 2026) and the district's ballot-question page. Minutes and attachments were not collected.
We read every agenda, packet, recording, and set of minutes, and write up the decisions that affect families — each one linked to the document it came from.
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