After the formal presentation, Ausfahl mentioned that she didn't get into the debate over ranking, because in any case Colorado is in the bottom third, a fact which concerns her. Seebach made the controversial claim that some teachers are paid too much in the present system. However, some subjects like physics and math suffer shortages of good teachers, so perhaps certain types of teachers ought to be paid more, she said. Seebach also noted that the best teachers can move into higher paying jobs in other fields, a problem a stronger merit-based system of pay might alleviate. Ausfahl explained the way money is divvied up among Colorado's government schools.
State law redistributes some funds to establish more equitable spending across districts.
Ausfahl's analysis suggests, at least in principle, that at some level per-pupil spending can be frozen or even reduced. Ausfahl seemed to tense a little when someone from the audience suggested the problem of school finance would disappear if government got out of education altogether. At one point Smith commented on market schools, noting that vouchers would likely bring those schools currently in the market system under government control. Homeschooling and Government Schooling One debate that arose during the question period is the efficacy of homeschooling. Seebach said she wishes she had homeschooled her own child, while Ausfahl expressed concern with the practice.