Fund Descriptions

The district has twenty funds in total, each identified within their type (Operating Funds, Special Revenue Funds, Debt Service Fund, Capital Project Funds, Enterprise Fund, Internal Service Funds, and Fiduciary Funds) including the General Operating Fund. 

A fund is an independent fiscal and accounting entity with a self-balancing set of accounts for recording the source and use of cash and other financial resources.  It contains all related assets, liabilities, and residual equities or balances, or changes therein.  

Funds are established to carry out specific activities or attain certain objectives of the school district according to special legislation, regulations, or other restrictions for the purposes described.

Operating Funds are accounts for all financial resources except those required to be accounted for in another fund.  Section 22-45-103(1)(a), C.R.S., states that all revenues, except those revenues attributable to the Bond Redemption Fund, the Capital Reserve Fund, the Building Fund, the Risk Management Fund, and any other fund authorized by the State Board of Education, shall be accounted for in the General Operating Fund.  Any lawful expenditure of the school district, including any expenditure of a nature that could be made from any other fund, may be made from the General Operating Fund.

Special Revenue Funds are accounts for the proceeds from special revenue sources (other than major capital projects) that are legally restricted to expenditure for specified purposes.  A separate fund may be used for each restricted source.

Debt Service Fund is be used to service the long-term general obligation debt of the school district including principal, interest, and related expenses.  This fund may be used to service other long-term voter-approved debt of the school district.

Capital Project Funds are used to account for financial resources used to acquire or construct major capital facilities, sites, and equipment.  These funds are designated to account for acquisition or construction of capital outlay assets which are not acquired directly by the general operating fund, special revenue funds, or enterprise funds.

Enterprise Funds are used to record operations that are financed and operated in a manner similar to private business enterprises where the stated intent is that the costs (expenses, including depreciation and indirect costs) of providing goods or services to the students or general public on a continuing basis are financed by charges for services or products.  Enterprise funds are also used to account for operations where the school board or state regulatory agency has decided that periodic determination of revenues earned, expenses incurred, and net income generated is appropriate for capital maintenance, public policy, management control, accountability, or other purposes.

Internal Service Funds are used to account for school district operations that provide goods or services within the district or to other school districts, or to other governmental units, on a cost-recovery basis.

Fiduciary Funds are used to report assets held in a trustee or agency capacity for others and therefore cannot be used to support the government's own programs.  The key distinction between trust funds and agency funds is that trust funds normally are subject to a trust agreement that affects the degree of management involvement and the length of time that the resources are held.  An agency fund does not involve a formal trust agreement and the government's role is purely custodial.