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Proposed sweeping changes to Colorado charter schools could divide Democrats
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Proposed sweeping changes to Colorado charter schools could divide Democrats

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics A trio of state Democratic lawmakers is pushing a sweeping proposal to boost what they describe as accountability but which critics say flies in the face of local control and unfairly targets charter schools. Notably, the biggest pushback is likely to come from members of their own caucuses and Gov. Jared Polis.  Reps. Tammy Story of Evergreen and Lorena Garcia of Adams County, along with Sen. Lisa Cutter of Littleton, introduced House Bill 1363, a 55-page bill that seeks major changes in how charter schools operate. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Colorado lawmakers scramble to find funds for schools, communities grappling with immigration crisis
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado lawmakers scramble to find funds for schools, communities grappling with immigration crisis

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics Colorado's policymakers are looking for ways to help communities grappling with the costs of accommodating roughly 40,000 immigrants who arrived in Colorado in the past year. The Department of Public Safety is requesting nearly $10 million in supplemental funding for organizations that offer services and assistance to immigrant families.  More specifically, the money will go toward housing and legal aid for the immigrants who came to Colorado after illegally crossing America's southern border.  "Colorado is committed to providing the resources we can for the communities and organizations working on the frontlines to support new arrivals during this crisis, and we are grateful for their work," a spokesperson for Gov. Jared Polis...
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Immigrants buoys Denver schools’ enrollment by 200 to 250 students each week
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Approved, Denver Metro, denvergazette.com, Local

Immigrants buoys Denver schools’ enrollment by 200 to 250 students each week

By Nicole C. Brambila | Denver Gazette The number of immigrants arriving in Denver may have slowed, but Denver Public Schools, which has struggled with declining enrollment for years, is seeing a steady pace of new students each week. And district staffers warned during the board’s regular meeting on Thursday that, if the enrollment numbers continue to climb, budget "adjustments" may arise this year and next. That could potentially mean cuts.    The district saw roughly 300 students enroll since its last update in January. This time last school year, the district had 82,401 students, according to a district update on Thursday. Now, the district has 84,327 students. READ THE FULL STORY IN THE DENVER GAZETTE
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The Results Are In: Parents Favor School Choice
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Approved, Commentary, Real Clear Education, State

The Results Are In: Parents Favor School Choice

By Hanna Skandera | Real Clear Education Parents want a choice when it comes to their children’s education. A new report published by The National School Choice Awareness Foundation reveals that 72% of parents considered new schools for their children in 2023 — a massive 35% increase from 2022. Additionally, more than 70% of parents in nearly every state support the implementation of school choice policies. This momentum has caught the attention of state legislatures across the country. Led by a growing coalition of parents, a total of 14 states established or expanded school choice programs last year, and six of these states passed universal school choice legislation. In October, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would be awarding ...
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Providers say proposed state board of ed rules threaten homeschool learning programs
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Approved, completecolorado.com, State

Providers say proposed state board of ed rules threaten homeschool learning programs

By Sherrie Peif | Complete Colorado DENVER–New rules being proposed by the Colorado State Board of Education that will eliminate funding for enrichment programs offered to home-schooled children could negatively impact thousands of students statewide who are served annually by Colorado Early Colleges (CEC), according to a letter obtained by Complete Colorado. CEC is Colorado’s largest network of tuition-free, public charter schools, that offers a wide array of academic options to more than 6,000 students, including brick-and-mortar middle and high school locations, an online campus, college direct locations, and homeschool academies. The board is expected to take up the rule changes at its regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 14. In a letter obtained by Complete C...
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Denver Public Schools Under Scrutiny for Alleged Racial Discrimination Against White Students
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Approved, Denver Metro, denvergazette.com, Local

Denver Public Schools Under Scrutiny for Alleged Racial Discrimination Against White Students

By Nicole C. Brambila | The Gazette The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has opened two discrimination complaints filed against Denver Public Schools’ use of race in selecting committee members to evaluate the district’s "discipline matrix" and in deciding which students can take math extension courses. The complaints, filed by the Mountain States Legal Foundation in November and September, respectively, alleged that the district gives preferential treatment to persons of color and inferred that its use of the word "diverse" is a veiled reference to considering race and people's gender identity.    Will Trachman, general counsel for Mountain States Legal Foundation, said the district cannot discriminate against White students or individuals who iden...
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Colorado School District Uses Affordable Housing As Recruitment Tactic
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Approved, El Paso County, Local, thelobby-co.com

Colorado School District Uses Affordable Housing As Recruitment Tactic

By The Lobby Harrison School District 2 in Colorado Springs has announced plans to construct affordable homes for its employees, according to reports. The district intends to build 20 duplexes, each covering 352 square feet, on a one-acre parcel of land at Mountain Vista Community School. The estimated cost of the project is $6 million, and the homes will be available for rent at $825 per month. This initiative aims to address the affordable housing faced by many teachers in Colorado Springs. The average rent is $1,720 per month, while the average home price is $523,456, as reported by Forbes Advisor. With a starting salary of $47,545 for new teachers in the district, many find it challenging to secure suitable housing without resorting to multiple roommates. The constructi...
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Keith King, a titan of school choice in Colorado education, dies at 75
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Keith King, a titan of school choice in Colorado education, dies at 75

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics Keith King, a businessman, education leader and former legislator who served in the state House and Senate, as well as on the Colorado Springs council, has died after a long illness. He was 75. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. Gov. Jared Polis, who, like King, has been an advocate for charter schools, on Saturday ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff until the day of King's memorial. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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U.S. Department of Education investigates Denver Public Schools over use of race
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, Denver Metro, Local, National

U.S. Department of Education investigates Denver Public Schools over use of race

By Nicole C. Brambila | Colorado Politics The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has opened two discrimination complaints filed against Denver Public Schools’ use of race in selecting committee members to evaluate the district’s "discipline matrix" and in deciding which students can take math extension courses. The complaints, filed by the Mountain States Legal Foundation in November and September, respectively, alleged that the district gives preferential treatment to persons of color and inferred that its use of the word "diverse" is a veiled reference to considering race and people's gender identity. Will Trachman, general counsel for Mountain States Legal Foundation, said the district cannot discriminate against White students or individuals who identify wi...
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Migrants cost Sanctuary City schools $17.5 million, Colo taxpayers stuck with bill
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Approved, coloradopeakpolitics.com, Downtown Denver, Local

Migrants cost Sanctuary City schools $17.5 million, Colo taxpayers stuck with bill

SOURCE: COLORADO PEAK POLITICS Sanctuary City has thousands of new students this school year who are projected to cost Denver Public Schools an additional $17.5 million. Hang onto your wallets PeakNation™  because state taxpayers are being asked to foot the bill for the additional costs above Denver school’s $1.3 billion annual budget this year. Thanks to President Biden’s open asylum policy, the influx of migrant students in Denver has risen to almost 3,000 and continues to grow weekly. Denver Public Schools is asking the state for a one-time adjustment in increased funding, which must be approved and funded by the state legislature, reports the Denver Post. Denver schools are currently juggling some money already in the coffers, and the dip in enrollment from past yea...
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