Survey finds most Colorado teachers can't afford to live where they work
Nearly 6 in 10 say they would be interested in district-provided affordable housing, and 70% would be comfortable with their school district as their landlord.
"Colorado's ability to deliver quality education depends on having committed, effective teachers in every classroom," said Van Schoales, senior policy director at the Keystone Policy Center. "This report confirms what we've been hearing for years. Without affordable housing, we will continue to lose great educators."
Schoales said housing instability is no longer just a personal issue for teachers. It's affecting the quality of education statewide.
"For many years, we assumed housing was something folks figure out, and it's outside the realm of creating a great classroom," he said. "But we now know it has a huge impact. Even though salaries have increased, it's not enough to keep up with the housing challenge."
The survey collected stories from educators in rural, suburban, and urban districts - from international teachers sharing cramped apartments to veteran educators contemplating career changes because they can't afford to live near their schools.
One Denver middle school teacher, Danielle Landon, said the financial strain has her considering moving in with family.
"If I'm having a hard time paying my mortgage while currently living with my brother, having just gotten my master's, and still not able to afford that mortgage, it's disheartening," Landon said. "What message are we sending to our kids, if our teachers can't make it, why would they make it?"
While many districts have yet to tackle the problem, some are investing in housing solutions. Schoales says Roaring Fork and Eagle County school districts, as well as several rural districts, are offering district-owned or district-subsidized housing.
In these programs, rent is often capped at 30% of a teacher's salary, well below what many educators currently pay.
"It works," Schoales said. "We've seen it in Roaring Fork and in a number of other school districts."
But implementing such programs isn't easy.
"School districts' job is to educate kids, not to provide housing," Schoales acknowledged. "But districts are often the biggest land holders in a community, and they can partner with developers, cities, and counties to make it happen."
Without significant change, Schoales says Colorado could face worsening teacher shortages in the next decade.
"We've seen more turnover over the last 10 or 20 years. It's going to get that much more challenging if we don't address housing and quality of work experiences for teachers in addition to salary," he said.
For educators like Landon, the solution is straightforward: "You don't want to ask for too much. At the end of the day, I just want to be able to afford my home."
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