District overview
Thompson School District R-2J
Funding structure, how it compares to peers, and where major projects stand.
How is Thompson School District paid for?
Thompson R-2J serves Loveland, Berthoud and nearby areas in Larimer County, Colorado. Colorado pays districts mainly by a per-student formula, and local property taxes cover part of that cost. Thompson also levies voter-approved extra property taxes (mill levy overrides) and repays voter-approved bonds. A seven-member elected board adopts the budget each June and certifies the mill levy each December.
Property tax rate
The preliminary 2026 total education mill levy is 44.822 mills, about flat from 44.836 in December 2025. The School Finance Act levy is 27.000 mills; three overrides total 11.419 mills and bond repayment is 6.075 mills.
Budget pressure
Staff said revenue is falling because fewer students are enrolled, and state funding rose only about $400,000 for 2026-27. The adopted budget cut about $1 million in administrative jobs, drew about $1.6 million from reserves and used unpaid furlough days.
Reserves
The projected ending fund balance is about 10.58% of budget revenue, inside the board's 5% to 15% reserve rule and above the 3% state TABOR requirement.
Who decides
Seven directors, each elected from one of seven director districts to four-year terms. Regular meetings are usually the third Wednesday at 6 p.m. at 800 S Taft Ave, with study sessions the first Wednesday.
The posted materials give budget decisions and rates but not a full per-student spending figure, so this page does not state one.
Where the district stands
External figure from the NCES directory; the board materials read did not state a current headcount.
Major projects
2025 bond projects
funded; bonds authorized December 2025Voters approved up to $99 million in November 2025. The district says the money is for roof repairs, secure entrances, heating and cooling, and more classroom space in Berthoud, without a new tax rate. The board approved project budgets on Dec 17, 2025 and a budget adjustment on Aug 19, 2026, and appointed a Citizen Bond Oversight Committee.
- Voters approve the bond
- Board approves project budgets and bond issuance
- Citizen Bond Oversight Committee selected
- Bond project budget adjustment approved
- Oversight committee update to board
Funding
General obligation bonds approved by voters Nov 2025
Mary Blair building repurposed for family services
in progress; name not yet approvedStaff say the former Mary Blair Elementary building is becoming a campus for family services and intensive education programs. A naming committee met Oct 22, 2026 and the board discussed names on Nov 4. The $5,000 signage cost would come from Community Connections property sale proceeds.
- Board study session reviews the building's use
- Naming committee meets
- Name recommendation discussed
Funding
Community Connections property sale proceeds
2026-27 budget balancing
adopted June 17, 2026; planning for 2027-28 under wayThe 2026-27 budget was balanced with four furlough days for licensed and administrative staff, two for classified staff, about $1 million in administrator cuts and a reserve draw. Staff estimate restoring the furlough days would cost about $2.5 million, and health insurance may rise about 10%.
- First budget draft presented
- Study session draft
- Budget adopted 5-2
- Revenue outlook update after the Nov 3 state ballot
Funding
General fund (state funding and local property taxes) plus reserves
Recent news
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Practical guides to school phone policies, district budgets, and administrator hiring.
Explore resources →Built from the board's public meeting portal (agendas, minutes and attached memos, Nov 2025 to Nov 2026), the board's YouTube recordings and the district website.
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