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Schaffer’s ‘unsafe school choice’ policy gets new life under Trump
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Approved, Education Week, National

Schaffer’s ‘unsafe school choice’ policy gets new life under Trump

By Evie Blad | Education Week When the Trump administration urged states to use a little-known provision in federal education law to boost school choice, the congressman who helped author the language 24 years ago had an immediate reaction. “It’s about time,” said former Congressman Bob Schaffer. In a May 7 letter, Acting Assistant Education Secretary Hayley B. Sanon urged states to ease their criteria for labeling schools as “persistently dangerous"—a designation that legally comes with an obligation to offer families an option to transfer to another public school. “The number of persistently dangerous schools reported nationwide appears low particularly given the number of violent offenses in schools reported” in federal data, she wrote. It’s a message that Schaffer, ...
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Ganahl: Smears and fearmongering—The fight for John Adams Academy and school choice in Douglas County
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Approved, Commentary, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Ganahl: Smears and fearmongering—The fight for John Adams Academy and school choice in Douglas County

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice In Douglas County, Colorado, a battle over education choice is brewing as efforts to open a new classical charter school, the John Adams Academy, face fierce opposition. Spearheading the initiative is Ellie Reynolds, a Sterling Ranch resident and mom, and Kim Gilmartin, a seasoned advocate for school choice, who has helped launch multiple classical charter schools across the state.   However, the journey to establish this school in Sterling Ranch, a rapidly growing community with no existing school, has been met with aggressive and, at times, deeply personal hostility. The John Adams Academy, modeled after three successful classical charter schools in California, aims to provide an American classical leadership education...
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“Education desert” bill would let charters open without school board approval in underperforming areas
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Approved, State, The Colorado Sun, Top Stories

“Education desert” bill would let charters open without school board approval in underperforming areas

By Erica Breunlin | The Colorado Sun New charter schools authorized by the Colorado Charter School Institute would be allowed to open in communities with low-performing schools — possibly without approval from local school boards — under legislation that Colorado Senate President James Coleman is considering introducing at the Capitol this year. Coleman, a Denver Democrat, is also exploring the prospect of giving Colorado school districts “the option to solicit proposals from their communities for new quality schools,” including traditional public schools, charter schools, magnet schools, innovation schools or “other innovative education models.” The key factor in opening new schools in areas with struggling schools, Coleman said, would be “demonstrated community demand from acros...
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GOP lawmakers introduce bill to expand school choice
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Approved, National, The Daily Signal

GOP lawmakers introduce bill to expand school choice

By Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell  | Daily Signal Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Tim Scott of South Carolina are celebrating School Choice Week by introducing a bill to empower businesses and individuals to fund education choice for students. Introduced Wednesday, the Educational Choice for Children Act provides a charitable donation incentive for individuals and businesses to fund scholarships for students to cover expenses related to K-12 public and private education. School Choice Week began Monday. “Parents want to see their child succeed. Giving them the ability to make decisions over their child’s education puts that child’s needs first,” Cassidy said in a statement first provided to The Daily Signal. “More freedom empowers parents and ...
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Douglas County School District narrowly approves charter school release amid heated debate
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

Douglas County School District narrowly approves charter school release amid heated debate

By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice In a pivotal 4-3 vote on Tuesday night, the Douglas County School District board approved the release of the John Adams Academy charter school to apply for authorization through the Colorado Charter School Institute (CSI). This decision, made possible by conservative members of the board, marks a significant milestone for school choice advocates in Douglas County and underscores the importance of empowering parents with diverse educational options. The debate surrounding this decision was passionate and highlighted a fundamental divide: should charter schools be confined to district oversight, or should they have the flexibility to pursue authorization through alternative pathways like CSI? For supporters of school choi...
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Support Amendment 80: Constitutional right to school choice
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Support Amendment 80: Constitutional right to school choice

By Editorial Board | Editorial, Rocky Mountain Voice Ballot language: Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution establishing the right to school choice for children in kindergarten through 12th grade, and, in connection therewith, declaring that school choice includes neighborhood, charter, and private schools; home schooling; open enrollment options; and future innovations in education? How it reached the ballot: Citizen signature petition, designated agents Michael Fields and Suzanne Taheri. Background: This measure would enshrine school choice as a "right" in the Colorado Constitution. The measure would add the following language to Section 18: "The people of the state of Colorado hereby find and declare that all children have the right to equal opportunity to ac...
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Democrats work to erase the biggest school choice option in Colorado
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Approved, State, The Federalist

Democrats work to erase the biggest school choice option in Colorado

By ROB MOULTON AND TIM HANNAN | The Federalist Public charter schools are an integral part of Colorado’s educational ecosystem. The Centennial State is now home to more than 260 charter schools that serve north of 130,000 students — more than 15 percent of the state’s total public school enrollment. Now some state lawmakers want to see these innovative, autonomous schools disappear. Introduced in early March following months of rumors and threats, Colorado House Bill 24-1363 takes aim at nearly every aspect of the state’s 30-year-old Charter Schools Act. The bill’s sponsors — Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Adams/Jefferson, Rep. Tammy Story, D-Jefferson, and Sen. Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson — introduced the bill despite widespread pushback and concern with early drafts from both sides of the p...
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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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COLUMN: As school performance slumps, parents opt out | Jimmy Sengenberger
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Approved, gazette.com, State

COLUMN: As school performance slumps, parents opt out | Jimmy Sengenberger

By Jimmy Sengenberger | SOURCE: THE GAZETTE In the pandemic’s aftermath, Colorado’s public PreK-12 school system faces deteriorating enrollment. Contrary to the narrative spun by politicians, educrats and teachers union bosses — that the slump is simply due to demographic shifts, unaffordable housing and COVID-19 — it’s far from the full story. Last week, the Denver Gazette reported 1,800 fewer students were enrolled at the October count, a 0.20% year-over-year dip. While Colorado’s population burgeoned, education department data reveals public-school enrollment plunged by 30,024 students (3.3%) in the 2020-2021 school year — the state’s first drop since 1988. The subsequent rebound for 2021-2022 was modest, regaining just 3,318 students (0.38%). The statewide exodus continued,...
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EDITORIAL: The urgent need for more school choice in Colorado
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Approved, gazette.com, State

EDITORIAL: The urgent need for more school choice in Colorado

By The Gazette Editorial Board | SOURCE: THE GAZETTE The only downside to school choice in our state? There isn’t enough of it. It’s the right prescription for what ails Colorado’s public schools — an inoculation against the plague of malaise and abysmal performance at too many schools in too many communities. It’s why we salute the 14th annual National School Choice Week, which kicked off Sunday and runs through Saturday in Colorado and across the rest of the country. It’s a week in which school choice’s diverse advocates and supporters not only raise the movement’s profile for state policymakers but also reach out to parents to help them take advantage of the education options available to them. The observance, organized by the National School Choice Awareness Foundation, wil...
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