By Wayne Laugesen | Commentary, Wayne’s Word
A quiet war rages in Colorado classrooms. The casualties are almost always the children of the poor, ethnic and racial minorities.
For decades, defenders of our state’s public education monopoly have built a fortress around zip-code budgeting. They tell low-income parents to wait for the next tax hike or bureaucratic restructuring.
But a young Denver girl named Jade didn’t have time to wait. Her childhood—her prime learning years—was ticking away.
Trapped by Geography
Jade grew up in a low-income household where ambition ran high but financial options ran dry. In her government-assigned school, she faced a system designed for uniformity rather than excellence.
Wealthy families simply write a check for private tuition. For Jade’s family, that door was slammed shut. She was trapped. It was quite literally her only way out.
Then came the life-altering intervention of ACE Scholarships.
The Escape
ACE—a privately funded organization founded in Denver—refused to accept that a zip code dictates destiny. The organization provided Jade with a tuition scholarship, giving her family a choice.
With that lifeline, Jade escaped the government monopoly and entered Arrupe Jesuit High School.
Arrupe operates a unique corporate work-study model. Students earn up to 50% of their tuition by working five days a month at local businesses. They build professional resumes while funding their own elite education.
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