 📰 Headlines shaping charter schools this week Colorado charter high schools are making the grade, taking 27 of the top 100 spots in the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings. Meanwhile, nearly 40% of the state’s public school students are opting to attend a different school than the one to which they are assigned. Nationally, absenteeism is down but stubbornly high, Common Core math endures, and the AI school divide continues. PS: Share your knowledge and experience with the larger charter community! Submit a session proposal to inspire, educate, and connect at the 2026 Annual Conference. Learn more and apply by Sept. 30. 📩 Have news from your campus or community? Share it with us by 12 PM each Thursday for inclusion in the NEWS. 
| 28th August 2025 |
| Colorado has a new child abuse reporting law. |
Chalkbeat
Teachers, child care providers, and other people who work with children will soon be subject to a new state law |
|
| 22nd August 2025 |
| K-12 Chronic Absenteeism Rates Down From Peak, but Remain Persistently High |
The 74
Since hitting a record high in 2022, national chronic absenteeism rates have dropped modestly — by about five percentage points — according to the most recent available data, but still remain persistently higher than pre-pandemic levels. |
|
| 23rd August 2025 |
| Judge blocks Trump from cutting funding from 34 cities and counties, including Denver, over ‘sanctuary’ policies |
Denver Post
A judge ruled late Friday the Trump administration cannot deny funding to Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and 30 other cities and counties because of policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration efforts. |
|
| 28th August 2025 |
| Flagstaff Academy Recognized as 2025 Colorado Trailblazer “School to Watch” |
| Flagstaff Academy Charter School has once again earned statewide and national acclaim, having been named one of the 2025 Colorado Trailblazer Schools to Watch |
|
| 26th August 2025 |
| Trump Administration Takes on School Emails as Parental Rights Issue |
The 74
In April, the U.S. Department of Education resolved an obscure 2013 privacy complaint — a dispute so old that the student at the heart of it has almost certainly graduated by now. |
|
 Boardhawk podcast episode 20: The hard truths DPS won’t tell you about its test score results
Boardhawk | August 28
While there are some signs of post-pandemic improvement, the data show that low-income students of color in Denver Public Schools continue to struggle academically, and achievement gaps have widened substantially since CMAS' first year, 2017.
Liberty Common High School Ranked No. 2
Coloradoan | August 26
Liberty Common High School was ranked No. 2 in Colorado on U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 list of the best high schools, with five others ranking among the top 10 in the state. Caprock Academy recognized in national ranking
KKCO | August 27
Caprock Academy High School was ranked among the best high schools in Colorado by U.S. News & World Report for the 2025-26 school year Student attendance and chronic absenteeism remain largely unchanged from 2023-24
CDE | August 27
CDE released 2024-25 data on student attendance and chronic absenteeism, with statewide averages showing slight declines in daily attendance (-0.1%) and slight increases in chronic absenteeism (+0.7%). ‘Moving in the wrong direction’: Chronic absenteeism went up in Colorado last school year
Chalkbeat | August 27
Colorado education officials relayed some bad news Wednesday: The percentage of students who were chronically absent last school year increased, while attendance stayed nearly flat.  Advocacy organization Denver Families Action endorses four candidates for Denver school board
Chalkbeat | August 26
A deep-pocketed advocacy organization has endorsed four candidates in November’s Denver school board election. Cellphone limits forcing students to engage, interact and talk with peers
Daily Camera | August 26
You can often find Centaurus High Principal Carlyn Carroll hanging out in the student center at lunch, checking out Ping-Pong paddles to a steady stream of students looking to play on the new tables, queuing up movies they can watch on a big screen and helping manage a stack of board games as she chats with students.  A growing number of Colorado students attend a different school from the one their district assigns
Coloradoan | August 26
Nearly 40% of Colorado public school students, more than 347,000 kids in preschool through high school, are opting to attend a different school than the one assigned to them by their home school district. Need to catch up on Colorado's special session? Here's what happened this weekend
Denver Gazette | August 25
Colorado legislators worked over the weekend to debate wolf funding, money for health insurance and inoculating Planned Parenthood — at least at the state level — from looming Medicaid cuts.  Colorado legislature stutters and starts on tax bills as negotiations swirl on AI regulations
Denver Post | August 24
The third day of the Colorado legislature’s special session moved along at a stutter-start pace Saturday, as leadership leaned on procedural rules to relieve partisan acrimony in the state House. Colorado lawmakers eye changes to Healthy School Meals for All ballot measure to curb federal cuts
Chalkbeat | August 21
Colorado voters are set to consider two ballot measures this year to help fund free school meals.   Indiana just removed one of the major barriers to starting a new school
Fordham Institute | August 28
With eighteen words tucked into a 37-page education bill, the Indiana state legislature took a major step towards easing the lives of educational entrepreneurs. Some 15 Years After Disastrous Debut, Common Core Math Endures in Many States
The 74 | August 27
Fifteen years after the calamitous rollout of the Common Core math standards, the once-derided strategy has proven its staying power, with many states holding onto the original plan or some close iteration.  Let’s Bring Project-Based Learning and Community Service into the 21st Century
The 74 | August 26
Project-based Learning isn’t new. It’s more than a century old, rooted in John Dewey’s belief that children learn best by doing. The Inconvenient Success of New Orleans Schools
The 74 | August 25
Twenty years ago, the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina inadvertently created the conditions for one of the most remarkable education experiments in American history.  An AI divide is growing in schools. This camp wants to level the playing field
NPR | August 19
Up until recently, 16-year-old Esraa Elsharkawy was an artificial intelligence skeptic.  Membership Renewals
The League is in the middle of its renewal season; thank you to all who have renewed thus far. If you're still in the middle of the process, now is the time to act. Log in to the League's website (as a "finance contact"), view "My Account" in the upper right, then "Organizational Invoices" to view whether your invoices are paid or open. Your connection to the League and to all the schools in the network helps us all move forward together. Thank you!  Beyond the Bell by Animas High School [a Podcast]
Animas High School has launched a new 7-episode podcast series, Beyond the Bell, exploring how schools, families, and communities can nurture critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and civic responsibility in the next generation. Each episode features engaging conversations with guests who share ideas and experiences that inspire hope and highlight what’s possible in public education. They invite you to tune in, share with colleagues, and join the conversation!
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Strengthening Behavior & Discipline Systems Community of Practice (Virtual, Ongoing)
CDE is offering interactive sessions designed to help school staff refine behavior and discipline systems, reduce lost learning time, and foster more supportive, equitable schools. Interested participants can connect with Andrea Pulskamp or Nicole Herrera for details. E-Learning Series on Attendance (Virtual, Ongoing)
CDE is partnering with Attendance Works for a three-part virtual training this fall designed to help schools reduce chronic absenteeism. Educators will gain evidence-based strategies, learn which attendance measures to monitor, and collaborate with peers across Colorado to strengthen student engagement. Learn more and register.  2025 Annual Finance Seminar (Denver): Sept. 5
Join charter business managers and operations leaders from across Colorado for a full day of updates, training, and connection at the 2025 Annual Finance Seminar. Hosted by the League, this free event offers both in-person and virtual participation. Expect funding and compliance insights, expert-led sessions, and networking to launch the year with clarity. Elevating Excellence Conference (Brighton): Sept. 17-18
The 2025 Elevating Excellence Conference will take place September 17–18 at the Adams County Government Building in Brighton. Educators and leaders are invited to register now for two days of learning and collaboration.  Digital Safety Summit (Denver): Sept. 20
This first-of-its-kind national conference is designed for anyone who cares about protecting teens in today’s online world, including parents, educators, counselors, school resource officers, law enforcement, and community leaders. Keynote presenters include national child-exploitation prevention experts like The Exodus Road, Bark, Common Sense Media, and Thorn, as well as YouTuber Justin Stuart and author Jonathan Mckee. Together, we'll address topics of online exploitation, digital wellbeing, and how adults can engage children with both confidence and compassion on topics related to our digital world. Please pass this message along to your parents, share to your social media, and sign up today.  Strategic Finance Training (Battlement Mesa): Sept. 25–26
The next Strategic Finance training will take place at the Colorado River BOCES in Battlement Mesa, September 25–26. District teams are strongly encouraged to attend, particularly superintendents and CFOs/business managers. As space is limited and past sessions have filled quickly. Early registration and hotel booking are recommended; room blocks are available. Strategic Finance Training (Monument): Oct. 2-3
Business Managers, CFOs, and Superintendents are invited to attend a free two-day Strategic School Finance training, hosted at Lewis Palmer School District in Monument. Led by experts from CSFP and CDE, the sessions will cover Colorado’s school finance landscape, strategic planning, grant management, budgeting, accounting basics, and audit preparation. District teams are especially encouraged to attend together to maximize collaboration and impact. Register here. For questions, contact Molly Homburger at [email protected].
GET INVOLVED
Elementary Educators: Share your Trauma-Informed Classroom Practices
Educators are invited to contribute concrete activities, strategies, or practices that help create safe, inclusive, and empowering classrooms. Submissions are welcome from individual teachers or collaborative teams. For questions, contact Dr. Philip E. Bernhardt, Professor of Secondary Education at MSU Denver, at [email protected].  Attend the 2025 HUB Colorado Leadership Summit
The HUB Colorado Leadership Summit is a one-day event that brings together industry leaders, innovators, and decision-makers to share insights, spark ideas, and connect on the issues that matter most to your business. Highlights include keynote speaker Graci Harkema, SHRM & HRCI credit opportunities, a complimentary lunch and networking happy hour, plus a behind-the-scenes tour of Empower Field at Mile High. RSVP today. Share your Expertise at the 2026 Annual Conference
Request for Proposals is open for the Colorado Charter Schools Annual Conference. Submit a session proposal to inspire, educate, and connect with the charter school community. Learn more and apply by September 30.
RESOURCES & GRANTS
Cohort Opportunity for Rural School Leaders
Rural school leaders are encouraged to apply for a fully funded, 15-month cohort experience launching in January through Transcend. This program will focus on reimagining school design and expanding career-connected learning.  Tools for Multilingual Learners
CDE released a new resource to support linguistically responsive, data-based instruction for multilingual learners. The webpage walks teams through Like-Peer Comparisons to support RTI, reading interventions, and more.
CDE UPDATES
Charter School Facility Assistance Program
The Charter School Office has completed the 2024–25 FA Program application cycle, allocating $9.4 million to 136 schools statewide. In addition, the U.S. Department of Education approved CDE’s weighted lottery plan, which will be included in the 2025–26 RFA this fall.  2024–25 Innovation Schools Report
The latest Innovation Schools Report is now available! The report highlights how more than 100 Colorado innovation schools are reimagining education with creative approaches to teaching and learning. Authorizer Assurances for Online Schools and Programs
CDE reminds authorizers to review and update online school and program assurances by Saturday, September 20. Register for the SDOL program. Register for the MDOL program. Any changes to attendance procedures must be submitted through the provided links. Contact information updates should be emailed directly to Alex Schroeder. Curated collections from OER Colorado
The OERColorado Hub and Microsite continue to provide free, openly licensed resources for Colorado classrooms. Educators can quickly access curated collections aligned to subject areas, Common Core, and Next Generation Science Standards. Artificial Intelligence Resources
CDE’s AI Resources page offers guidance and professional development for schools and educators. Explore instructional resources, AI policy guidance, and general information to better understand how AI can support teaching and learning.   Several important updates are shaping the charter landscape this month. First, the FY25 CSP Continuation Cohort awardees have been announced, providing continued support for schools advancing student opportunities across the state. Second, an updated CSP Allowable Cost Guide is now available, offering clearer guidance on budgeting and compliance. Finally, Lumen Impact Group continues to provide tailored coaching to help schools maximize their CSP resources. Looking ahead, two new schools — East Hills Academy and Spruce Community School — are preparing to open in Colorado Springs D-11 in fall 2026, expanding access through classical and project-based learning models. Leaders should mark their calendars for upcoming professional learning opportunities, including Technical Assistant offerings, the Annual Finance Seminar (Sept. 5), Leadership Summit 2025 (Oct. 10), and the 2026 Annual Charter Schools Conference (Feb. 26–27). 📰 Read the full August GSC newsletter here. Stay connected and subscribe here. 
| 28th August 2025 |
| Hertz Furniture |
| Hertz Furniture is committed to offering top quality, competitively priced furniture that meets your needs. |
|
  SIGN UP FOR OUR CHARTER SENSE NEWSLETTER ON LINKEDIN
|
