The 2024-25 school year is starting with districts seeking help. Across Colorado, many districts are again short of teachers, staff, and bus drivers.
In Jefferson County Schools, which resumes for most students on Thursday, the district is still looking to hire 11 teachers, 35 paraprofessionals, and 27 special education teachers, despite decades of declining enrollments due to a drop in birth rates and rising housing costs.
In the Boulder Valley School District, officials are seeking to hire a dozen teachers as the district opens. They are offering a $3,500 signing bonus to bus drivers.
“What we’re trying to do is be proactive and engage the community,” said Superintendent Dr. Rob Anderson. “We’ve been talking about this for several years.”
Advertisement
CBS
The district has been marketing its efforts to educate and address the shortage.
“We found schools that have lower enrollment. We’re looking at new academic programs and new marketing to let folks know we have room in our amazing schools here in the Boulder Valley School District,” Anderson said.
In Jefferson County, the district addressed a shortage of bus drivers last year by noticing the number of buses that were not full and purchasing 18 smaller buses that do not require commercial driver’s licenses. The district is now fully staffed with drivers for this year.
Advertisement
Last school year, districts in Colorado were about 1,400 teachers short.
“We have more than enough people with educator licenses right now that could fill the need,” said Kevin Vick, president of the state’s largest teachers’ union, the Colorado Education Association. “There are more people licensed than working in the profession. They are simply not staying,” Vick said.
Colorado ranks last in competitive professional pay. But it’s not only about pay. There are also concerns about safety and standardization of teaching practices, according to Vick.
“It’s important to understand there’s a difference between standards and standardization,” Vick said. He believes standards are appropriate, but standardization frustrates educators.
“They prescribe a certain way of teaching, a certain curriculum, or certain grade level expectations, and they find that when they are teaching the kids, the kids need something else,” Vick said. “It’s about the same as expecting kids to all be the same height.”
Advertisement
CBS
Some educators have left for jobs outside of teaching. Denver Public Schools will start the year with dozens of teachers and paraprofessionals short.
Parent Henry moved his 7-year-old and 11-year-old children to a different school this year due to what he described as problem students at his children’s previous school.
“Who doesn’t love teaching young, happy little minds? But when it becomes that difficult and you don’t have any power for any kind of discipline whatsoever and the kids know that, what are you going to do?” Henry said.
Advertisement
He also worries about teachers trying to push some students while leaving others bored and not challenged. Nevertheless, he believes his children have had good teachers who care.
“It is cool to see teachers who are passionate about it and really put their heart into it despite major challenges,” Henry said.
On Friday, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 announced that it has reached a tentative agreement with the JBS meat processing plant in Northern Colorado.
The union held a three-week strike beginning in March over what it called unfair labor practices and low wages. The company and the labor union, which represents approximately 3,800 workers, announced that workers would return to work on Tuesday without a new agreement or change to JBS’s offer.
JBS Meat Processing Plant workers in Greeley went on strike early Monday morning.
Advertisement
CBS
The new agreement comes after UFCW Local 7 says parties returned to the bargaining table for two days of negotiations.
In a statement to CBS Colorado, JBS confirmed it has reached a tentative agreement with the union.
The agreement will be presented to the membership for a ratification vote on Sunday.
Throughout the spring, the Colorado Buffaloes have battled a significant number of injuries in the wide receiver room. However, looking ahead to the fall, there are two crucial receivers that coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes will love to have back.
Advertisement
Oct 25, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. (0) catches the ball during the fourth quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Advertisement
DeAndre Moore Jr.
“DeAndre’s like a dynamic person. You guys will see that as he gets healthy and gets to play. So DeAndre, he’s been great from the leadership perspective and still showing up every day with a smile on his face and being happy to be there and leading the guys and teaching them what it’s like to be a receiver from the standpoint of knowledge wise and studying and learning in the room,” said offensive coordinator Brennan Marion on wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr.
Advertisement
Marion making statements like this about Moore could reveal role that the Texas transfer receiver will have once healthy. In his time with Texas, Moore was very productive as he recorded 77 receptions for 988 yards, 11 touchdowns, and an average of 14 yards per catch. In his Longhorns career, Moore continued to progress and because of his versatility he was able to be a great weapon all over the field.
While the production is important, it seems that during the spring when he has been out with injury, Moore has stepped into a great role as a leader to teach the younger receivers how to prepare and be successful as a receiver when it comes to the mental side.
Advertisement
Nov 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Joseph Williams (8) celebrates after catching a pass for a touchdown during the second quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images
Joseph Williams
“I love Jo, he’s a great kid. His story is amazing, he works really hard. Just excited to get those back out there not only for their play on the field, but their leadership with the guys,” added Marion on wide receiver Joseph Williams.
As one of the few returning players to Colorado for the 2026 season, Williams has put his head down to work, and that has stood out to Marion in both his character and the impact he can have on the field as a player and as a leader.
Advertisement
Williams was a good option to get the ball to in 2025 and could become an even bigger factor in Marion’s offense with his speed and work ethic. Last season, Williams totaled 37 receptions, 489 yards, four touchdowns, and an average of 13.2 yards per reception with the Buffaloes.
Advertisement
The offense as a whole was inconsistent last season, but when Williams was able to get the ball in his hands, he showed he had the talent to make plays and could be a great option for 2026.
Williams has missed a lot of spring due to an injury as well, but has stepped in as a leader, bringing energy to practice as he learns the new offense and helps to develop the young receivers.
Advertisement
Nov 22, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) scrambles in the first quarter against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Offensive Outlook For The Fall
As a tandem, Moore and Williams have great physical traits with their speed and athleticism, but also their intangibles of leadership and understanding the game at a different level to help contribute to what many hope to be a much better offense.
The trust and anticipation that Marion seems to have in Moore and Williams suggest that both players will have a huge role in the offense when they return for fall camp. When the fall does come around, Moore and Williams do have to be prepared on the mental side for Marion’s offense, but based on their character and desire to lead, that should not be a problem.
Advertisement
Redshirt freshman quarterback Julain Lewis projects to be heading into his first full year as the starter and having targets like Moore and Williams could be monumental for his development.
Advertisement
Heading into the 2026 season, Marion looks to have another explosive year with his offense. Moore and Williams have a major opportunity to be consistent targets in the offense, but also can function as leaders to ensure everyone is on the same page to help the Buffaloes find success once again next season.
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook for the latest news.
Martin Necas, Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche have had a lot to celebrate this season. Jeff Curry / Imagn Images
The Colorado Avalanche clinched the Presidents’ Trophy with a 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.
This is the fourth time in franchise history the Avalanche have finished atop the NHL’s regular-season standings. They also won the Presidents’ Trophy in 1997, 2001 and 2021.
Advertisement
Colorado will be looking to buck a recent trend of disappointing postseasons for Presidents’ Trophy winners. Nine of the last 10 teams to win the trophy have lost in the first two rounds of the playoffs, and no winner has won the Stanley Cup since the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks.
Prior to that, the Presidents’ Trophy winner had fared relatively well in the postseason. From 1999 to 2008, four of the nine Presidents’ Trophy winners went on to win it all, including Colorado’s 2000-2001 team led by Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Patrick Roy.
Colorado has been the NHL’s dominant team from start to finish in this regular season. It is only the sixth team in league history to hold first place from Nov. 1 through the end of the season. The team has been fueled by stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, who will both be in the conversation for postseason individual awards. Goaltender Scott Wedgewood has been a pleasant surprise, leading the NHL in save percentage and goals-against average.
The Avalanche will now enter the postseason as the top seed and will face the winner of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. That allows Colorado to avoid the dreaded 2-3 matchup in the Central Division that will pit the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild, two of the league’s best teams, against each other in the opening round.
Colorado has 114 points with four games remaining, with a chance to reach 120 points for the first time in franchise history. Only 12 teams have reached that mark in NHL history, with the most recent being the 2022-23 Bruins (135 points).
