Help Us Protect Public Charters By Stopping Harmful HB24-1363

HB24-1363, sponsored by Representative Lorena Garcia, Representative Tammy Story, and Senator Lisa Cutter, was introduced in the Colorado State Legislature this week and aims to undermine some of the most foundational aspects of public charter schools. HB24-1363 disrupts well-functioning systems and creates division between charter and traditional schools rather than improving public education, and we need your voice to stop this harmful proposal and to protect Colorado public charter schools’ autonomy, diversity, and innovation.

This 55-page bill unfairly and inequitably targets public charter schools by:

• Enabling districts to adopt a moratorium on the further expansion of charter schools under certain circumstances;

• Allowing local districts to revoke or close charter schools simply on the basis of declining enrollment in the district;

• Allowing anyone living near a school to appeal local school board decisions just because they differ in opinion;

• Removing the State Board’s final say on second appeals, basically eliminating the core checks-and-balances function against local board decisions;

• Entirely eliminating the use of automatic waivers; and 

• Limiting access to information about vacant or underused school district buildings and land. 

The bill will be heard first in the House Education Committee, so fill out the form below to send a message to all committee members to VOTE NO on HB24-1363 in support of our students, schools, and communities. If you are having trouble viewing or accessing the form, click here.