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Welcome to the NEWS for February 9, 2024
Governor Jared Polis has ordered flags at half-staff to honor former Colorado State Senator Keith King on the day of his memorial, [set for February 21]. Says Polis, “I was devastated to learn about the passing of Keith King. He dedicated his life to public service, whether it was his time in Colorado’s General Assembly, serving on Colorado Springs City Council, or helping more students access quality education through the creation of Colorado Early College. Over the years we have worked closely on issues like education and workforce development, and I know that he will be missed by so many. My thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.”
In other news, Colorado leads the nation in college-educated residents, but gaps remain, and some say funding for K-12 schools is at 1989 levels. Plus, the state of the education workforce is strong, and research shows ChatGPT isn’t increasing cheating.
We are just over two weeks away from our Annual Conference, featuring keynote speaker Steve Pemberton, a panel discussion on cultivating civility in challenging times, and so much more. See our full lineup of workshops and register today.
If your campus has an update to share, please submit it to us by 12 PM each Thursday.
News & Commentary
Top News
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Local Headlines
My charter school prepared me for college; others like me might
Boardhawk | February 7, 2024
Growing up in the Green Valley Ranch area, I was surrounded by a lot of diversity, and people always told me that when I went to college it was going to be majority white. Read more.
Influx in APS immigrant students after official student count day could cost the district millions
Sentinel | February 7, 2024
Aurora Public Schools enrolled nearly 2,000 students who came to the United States from another country this school year. The school district isn’t able to receive state funding for 929 of these students because they enrolled after the state’s official pupil count day. Read more.
EDITORIAL: Keith King, a paragon of public service
The Gazette | February 7, 2024
Keith King excelled at many endeavors. He was a devoted family man, a highly successful business entrepreneur and a prominent, elected officeholder. He served on his local school board and city council as well as in both chambers of Colorado’s Legislature, where he rose to House majority leader in 2003. Read more.
The Best Public High School In Colorado Has Been Revealed
Channel 93.3 | February 6, 2024
Deciding on which high school to send your children can be a tough decision. Parents have to weigh many factors, including teacher-to-student ratio, education quality, available college preparation courses, extracurricular activities, location, and much more. Read more.
Colorado educators strategize over how to best serve thousands of new immigrant students
CPR News | February 6, 2024
Ignacio has been in the U.S. since August, and his favorite classes are algebra and a class that helps him with his English. Those are not easy classes. “My hardest class is algebra,” he said. The required math is hard enough when you speak English. It’s nearly impossible when you’re just learning the language. Read more.
Colorado leads the nation in college-educated residents, but gaps remain
Chalkbeat | February 5, 2024
Colorado leads the nation in the percentage of residents who have some type of college-level education, with 62.9% having a certificate, certification, or degree, according to a new report. Read more.
Congratulations to October Teachers First Award Winner Marci Wegner
KOAA News5 | February 5, 2024
The October 2023 Teachers First Award went to Marci Wegner, a teacher at Pioneer Technology & Arts Academy in Colorado Springs, a James Irwin Charter School. Read more.
Why some Colorado lawmakers say funding for K-12 schools is at 1989 levels
Boardhawk | February 5, 2024
Colorado is nearing the end of the Budget Stabilization Factor era. Since 2009, Colorado lawmakers have channeled over $10 billion from schools to other priorities, a policy called the “BS Factor.” Gov. Jared Polis and lawmakers want to stop diverting money from schools to “fully fund” the state’s obligation in the proposed 2024-25 budget. Read more.
Durango students after classmate’s overdose death inspire Narcan bill at Colorado Legislature
Colorado Newsline | February 5, 2024
Students in Colorado would be expressly allowed to carry drug overdose reversal medication on campus and at school activities under a bill working its way through the Legislature, a policy that advocates say is a reasonable application of harm reduction thinking. Read more.
A refreshing change: Some DPS board members focusing on what matters most
Boardhawk | February 5, 2024
Last Friday, the Denver Public Schools Board of Education held a work session covering three data requests made by board members; school performance and academic achievement, Safety and Student Discipline, and Student Mental Health. Read more.
Charters may be only option to fill school deserts, says one Colorado superintendent
CBS Colorado | February 4, 2024
Sterling Ranch is one of the newest and fastest-growing communities in Douglas County. From 2022 to 2023, the amount of Douglas County School District students living in Sterling Ranch increased by 40%. Read more.
Colorado Springs school district plans teacher housing on district property
USA Today | February 4, 2024
A Colorado School district said that it is planning to build affordable homes for its employees Saturday. Harrison School District 2 in Colorado Springs is in the planning stages of building 20, 352-square-feet duplexes on an acre parcel at the district's Mountain Vista Community School, according to the Denver Gazette. Read more.
New recommendations would overhaul Colorado’s school funding formula. Now, lawmakers have to figure out how to pay for it.
Chalkbeat | February 2, 2024
A proposed overhaul of Colorado’s school funding formula is being hailed as long overdue, though lawmakers are wondering how they’ll pay for it and some education advocates say it’s only a partial answer to decades of underfunding. Read more.
Public school enrollment in Colorado: Here’s what you need to know
Chalkbeat | February 2, 2024
As migrants continue to arrive in Colorado, many schools are seeing a record number of students enrolling in the middle of the year. Read more.
Without millions in budget cuts, Chavez Huerta could close after 2024-25 school year
The Pueblo Chieftain | February 1, 2024
Without significant budget cuts, Chavez Huerta K-12 Preparatory Academy will lose nearly $1.8 million in fiscal year 2025 and likely be forced to close its doors following the 2024-25 school year. Read more.
National Views
Doing educational equity right – School closures
Thomas Fordham Institute | February 8. 2024
At the center of the modern framing around “educational equity” is the reality of racial and class disparities in virtually every aspect of the American school system. The “good stuff” disproportionately flows to White, Asian, and rich students (school funding, advanced education, high-quality career-tech opportunities) while the “bad stuff” disproportionately goes to Black, Hispanic, and poor students (exclusionary discipline, grade retention, special education identification). Read more.
High School Cheating Increase From ChatGPT? Research Finds Not So Much
The 74 | February 6, 2024
The rise of AI chatbot tools caused panic among high school teachers and administrators nationwide — but researchers say the frequency of students cheating on assignments remained “surprisingly” stagnant. Read more.
K-12 Enrollment Fails to Emerge from Pandemic, Federal Data Shows
The 74 | February 5, 2024
Enrollment in U.S. schools was fairly steady between 2021 and 2022, but the number of K-12 students remained below pre-pandemic levels, according to new federal data released Monday. Read more.
With 160,000 Jobs Added in 2023, the State of the Education Workforce Is Strong
The 74 | February 5, 2024
2023 was another good year for employment in public education. According to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, public K-12 schools added 160,000 jobs last year. Coming on the heels of big gains in 2021 and 2022, the country has now had the biggest three-year gain since the mid-1970s. Read more.
Community Announcements
Making Sense of 2024: A Presentation for High School Students
The current political context is daunting and discouraging for everyone, but perhaps most of all for young Americans. What is happening in our country’s politics, how did we get here, and what is our role within it? Drawing on history, political science, original research, and popular culture, Stephen Hawkins, Global Director of Research for More in Common, seeks to answer these questions in a way that is grounded, yet inspiring, all in a 35-minute presentation. Developed for students in grades 9-12, the presentation is 35 minutes followed by Q&A. For more information, contact [email protected].
Expanding Quality & Access to your Mission: Charter Replication, Expansion & Growth in Colorado [Webinar Replay]
Special thanks to Bill Knous, Colorado League of Charter Schools Director of Charter School Development, Paige Jovanovic, Denver Public Schools Director of Authorizing and Accountability, and Nicole Wetzel, Global Village Academy North School Leader, for sharing their knowledge about charter expansion and replication efforts. If you missed the webinar, you can watch the recording here. Register for the third webinar on March 6 here.
New Collaborative to Funds Charter Research
MIT Blueprint Labs recently launched a Charter School Research Collaborative to make charter research more actionable, rigorous, and efficient. The Collaborative will fund research proposals on long-term student outcomes, non-test score measures of school quality, the determinants of school quality, charter governance practices, and more (the full research agenda is here).
The first request for proposals is now open, and Blueprint seeks proposals of various sizes, with grants ranging from $10,000 to $500,000 based on research scope and stage. Apply here by April 17, 2024.
Elevating Educational Quality: Member Council's Impact and the MQSS Program
The Member Council, crucial in advising on matters benefiting both the League and the community, introduced the Member Quality Standards & Supports (MQSS) program last year. Addressing the need for high-quality education, the program targets schools with lower academic performance through SPF ratings, set for release this week. MQSS aims to boost charter sector quality with stronger standards and intentional support. Despite less than 10% of League members falling into the bottom two performance categories, the program highlights the League's commitment to elevating the charter sector and improving education quality statewide. For inquiries, contact the Member Council, Dawna Taylor (VP of School Services), or Dan Schaller (President). Your engagement is vital as we strive for statewide educational improvement.
League Flash Poll: Take a Couple Minutes to Help Us with PERA
PERA is looking to expand the pool of qualifying employees to include substitute teachers hired by third-party contractors, even if they remain employed by the contractor rather than the school. The League is actively pushing back on this issue and needs your help to assess the potential impact on our schools. Please take a quick 8-question survey to share your insights on current practices at your school and how this shift could affect you. We'll keep you updated on developments as we continue to oppose this initiative.
Funding Opportunities
Morelli Scholarship: Empowering Dyslexic Students in STEM Education
The Morelli Scholarship application opens on January 1, 2024, encouraging potential applicants to seize this opportunity. Geared towards students with dyslexia pursuing STEM degrees in the Fall of 2024, the scholarship prioritizes those excelling in STEM subjects despite challenges in English. Many scholars engage in our free Mentorship Program during their freshman year. Visit their website for more Foundation details and to access the application. Access the list of questions on our website before the application launch, allowing interested students to work on their submissions during the holiday season.
Cahn Fellowship
Cahn Fellowship provides advanced leadership development and recognition in large metropolitan areas to strong, talented school leaders to improve public education. The best schools are led by strong principals. Cahn Fellowship selects high-potential principals to participate in programs that maximize their talents and enhance their skills. These programs aim to have a dramatic impact on the performance of the school, the outcomes for the students, and the satisfaction and commitment of the principals themselves. Learn More.
CDE Updates
Comments Due for School Finance Rulemaking Hearing [Feb. 14]
The State Board of Education approved notices of rulemaking for the following rules: (1) Repeal the Rules for the Administration of the Colorado Preschool Program Act (1 CCR 301-32) and (2)
Rules for the Administration of the Public School Finance Act of 1994, 1 CCR 301-39 (Policy revision & Technical rule change) The rulemaking hearings are scheduled for Wed. Feb. 14, in the State Board Room, 201 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80203. We encourage you or members of your staff to attend the rulemaking hearing to provide oral testimony. You may also provide written comments to [email protected]. The recommended deadline for written comments is Mon., Feb. 12 to allow adequate time for staff to review and incorporate comments into the rules. However, we will accept written comments at any time up to and including the day of the hearing.
Informational CMAS Science & AEC Performance Framework Results Now Live
The 2023 informational performance framework reports containing 2023 CMAS Science for all districts and attendance/truancy results for Alternative Education Campuses have been provided to district accountability contacts via Syncplicity. For questions related to Syncplicity, training or support, email [email protected].
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education Speaker Series [Feb. 22]
Register to hear Jessica Martinez, former English language learner director of the year, speak about Strategic Goal Setting for Multilinguals at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22. Martinez will discuss how to plan with the end in mind, develop a vision, set goals and leverage collaborations using WIDA ACCESS data. Attendees will explore the common thread between Seal of Biliteracy, bilingual pathways and goal setting with CLDE directors, administration, teachers and students. Learn more.
Complete the TLCC Survey by Friday, Feb. 23
The free, statewide, biennial TLCC survey is available now. Because schools and districts need 50% participation to receive results, help ensure your school staff has the opportunity to participate. School support staff can be extra hard to reach, so be sure to leverage classroom relationships, lunch breaks and building team meetings to ensure codes are distributed to everyone. If you need information on who received survey codes in your building, contact [email protected].
Prevention & Promotion Science Professional Development
This spring the Colorado State University Prevention Research Center, in partnership with CDE, will offer one-day, in-person regional training sessions on prevention science to support evidence-based prevention programs, practices and policies in schools. Afterward, participants can join remote learning communities to share their successes and challenges. The training dates and locations will be determined with interested district and school staff. Email Aubrie Radford at [email protected] if you’re interested in participating. For more information contact Chauncey Stephens at [email protected] or 720-355-3026.
Exceptional Children’s Educational Act High-Cost Reimbursement applications
Applications and instructions are available for reimbursement of special ed high-cost student expenditures for the 2022-23 fiscal year. In Administrative Unit and Out of District applications are due Friday, March 1.
League News & Events
An Empowering Advocacy Day: A Gratitude Recap for Our Charter Students
A heartfelt thank you to all the schools and students who actively participated and made impactful contributions during Advocacy Day. The morning training sessions provided advocates with the tools and knowledge for meaningful conversations with representatives. Their preparedness and confidence were truly inspiring as we headed to the Capitol for these enlightening discussions. We deeply appreciate your commitment to making a difference and serving as exemplary ambassadors for charter schools. Your efforts significantly contribute to ongoing discussions about the importance of charter schools and their positive impact on students' lives. Check out the link for snapshots of the day and tag us in your photos on social media. Thank you for being integral to Advocacy Day!
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Health & Wellness
Study: Overscheduling harms students' well-being
A recent data analysis by economists from the University of Georgia and the Federal Reserve Board highlights the psychological costs of overscheduling for students, particularly during high-school years. The study reveals that excessive homework and extracurricular activities can harm mental well-being, making students more anxious, depressed or angry. Read more in The Hechinger Report.
Recess for Adults
You are, let’s say, eight years old, sitting at your school desk. Yes, that desk: the one that confines you in your chair, the one sitting in orderly roles, where you are supposed to do, well, whatever, with self-control and, above all, without causing trouble. Getting things done, under the teacher’s gaze. The bell rings. You are overcome with adrenaline-fueled excitement. It’s recess. Let’s go out to the playground. Doing something else. Read more.
Community Resilience Initiatives: New Funding Opportunities Available
In alignment with The Colorado Trust’s 2024-26 Strategic Plan, the Community Resilience Initiatives are three-year investments demonstrating the foundation’s belief in and commitment to the strengths, abilities and resiliency of Colorado communities. These seven grantmaking initiatives address the strategic plan’s three focus areas of food, housing, and mental and behavioral health, all of which emerged during the planning process as top priorities in communities across Colorado. This funding aims to bolster entities working to respond effectively to disruptions in communities resulting from economic downturns, social turbulence, public health crises, or a lack of coherent or effective public policy.
The Community Resilience Initiatives include seven competitive funding opportunities, each described in more detail at the links below. Each respective page provides information on the initiative’s goal, and links to the request for proposals, application template, pre-application webinar registration, and more. All pre-application webinars will be recorded and posted to these website pages after the live versions. The window for submitting a grant application for any of these initiatives is Feb. 15 – March 15, 2024.
Educator Residency Improves Teacher Diversity, Well-being
PEBC's pilot program, supported by a $1.5 million, 2-year grant from Kaiser Permanente, aims to rebuild the educator workforce in Colorado by recruiting teachers from historically underserved populations. The Teacher Residency program, aligned with the Thriving Schools initiative, focuses on integrating social and emotional well-being into classrooms to address burnout and retention challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, during the 2022-2023 school year, 9% of teaching positions in Colorado remained unfilled. Since the grant, the program has seen a 32% increase in participants from historically underrepresented groups, with retention rates 25% higher than the national average for program graduates. Learn more about the impactful PEBC Teacher Residency program.
Prioritizing Well-Being Among School and District Staff, Educators, and Administrators
Health and well-being are fundamental to our success in educating youth, engaging families, collaborating with colleagues, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Register for a four-part, learning series that prioritizes staff well-being with Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Kaiser Permanente Thriving Schools on January 25, February 22, March 14, and April 11 at 4 p.m. ET and 1 p.m. PT. All school and district staff, regardless of position or title — including cafeteria workers, bus drivers, paraprofessionals, teachers, and administrators — are encouraged to attend this no-cost webinar series.
The Colorado Health Foundation: Feb. 15, 2024 Grant Deadline
Free Health Equity Training
Check out the Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC)’s 90-minute recording of Equitable Language and Why it Matters. School Health Professionals play a vital role in student health! Enroll in the Health Equity Online Module, a 2.5-hour, self-paced online course from the Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center. The course is free and meant for those who are serious about walking their health equity talk but aren’t quite sure how to get started.
Free Crisis Services
Colorado Crisis Services offers free, confidential support 24/7. Call 844-493-TALK (8255) or text TALK to 38255. Walk-ins are welcome for all Colorado residents, regardless of ability to pay. Visit the website for mental health, substance use, or emotional concerns.
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Recent League Newsletters
- ACT (January 17, 2024)
- NEWS (February 2, 2024)
- MOVE (January 12, 2024)
- LEGISLATIVE UPDATE (February 7, 2024)
- CONNECT COHORT (January 25, 2024)
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