 🎓 Milestones, Momentum + Your Voice Colorado approves $10B for K–12 education, DPS may close low-performing schools, and backlash grows over a proposed classical charter. Plus, motivating students in STEM and what’s inside the GOP’s national school voucher plan. Your next iced vanilla latte could be on us! ☕ Help us shape future groups and cohorts by completing our short survey — five participants will be randomly selected to receive a $10 Starbucks gift card. Share your opinion and enter now! Share your campus news with us by 12 PM each Thursday for inclusion in the NEWS.   The false binary of school board elections
Boardhawk | May 29
School board election season is upon us nationwide. What used to be a hyper-local and seemingly uneventful process has catapulted into a main card bout.  Denver principal Alex Magaña is running for a seat on the school board
Chalkbeat | May 27
A Denver Public Schools principal whose schools champion blended learning tailored to each student’s academic level is running for an at-large seat on the school board. Divided US Supreme Court Affirms Oklahoma Supreme Court’s Denial of State-Funded Catholic Charter School
LWCO | May 22
In a single-sentence, per curiam opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed a lower court’s ruling rejecting a bid from an Oklahoma virtual charter school to be the country’s first state-funded religious charter school. Veteran educator, DPS board candidate Alex Magaña lays out his vision for the district (Podcast)
Boardhawk | May 30
Alex Magaña recently announced his candidacy for an at-large seat on the Denver Public Schools board, the seat currently held by Scott Esserman.   Out-of-School Programs Play an Outsized Role in Child Development
The 74 | May 29
What if one of the most crucial experiences for the development of school-aged children doesn’t happen during the school day at all? What Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’ Gets Wrong — and Right — About ‘Kids These Days
The 74 | May 28
I finished watching Netflix’s series, Adolescence. It revolves around 13-year-old Jamie Miller, who just killed Katie Leonard, a girl from his school.  Many American Adults Wish They Had More Math Skills
The 74 | May 28
Four in 10 U.S. adults wish they learned more math skills in middle or high school, according to a new Gallup poll. Trump’s Ed. Dept. Wants to Fund ‘Evidence-Based’ Reading. What Will That Mean for Schools?
EdWeek | May 27
The U.S. Department of Education has signaled that reading instruction will be a priority under President Donald Trump’s administration—placing literacy squarely on its agenda amid an ongoing national “science of reading” movement.  How Medicaid Cuts Could Impact Early Intervention for Young Children
The 74 | May 27
The first warning sign Rebecca Amidon spotted was when her 1-year-old daughter wasn’t walking on her feet. Deadlocked Supreme Court won’t allow nation’s first public religious charter school
POLITICO | May 22
The Supreme Court deadlocked Thursday on whether openly religious schools are entitled under the Constitution to receive public money through state charter-school programs.  Supreme Court tie with Barrett recused prevents first public religious charter school
MSNBC | May 22
With Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused, an eight-justice Supreme Court split 4-4 on an appeal seeking to approve the country's first public religious charter school, which keeps an Oklahoma state court ruling against the school in place.   
School Leaders, Business Managers, Finance Contacts: Stay Connected for Membership Renewal
Membership renewal opens July 1! To avoid missing important updates, please log in to your League account to verify your contact details and check the “My Membership” section to verify you have access. If your school has new staff or outgoing staff, please send an updated staff list to [email protected], and we'll update your staff list for you. Questions? Reach us at [email protected]. Take the League's Cohort Survey & Win a $10 Starbucks Gift Card
Your next iced vanilla latte could be on us! ☕️ Help us shape future groups and cohorts by completing our short survey — five participants will be randomly selected to receive a $10 Starbucks gift card. Share your opinion and enter now!
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
 How Parents Think About School Enrollment
Avela, a leading provider of enrollment and school choice solutions, recently surveyed hundreds of parents across the country to understand how families search for and select schools. The findings reveal key insights that can help charter leaders improve outreach, increase enrollment, and better meet family needs. Download the full report.
GET INVOLVED
Nominate Outstanding Educators
Help build the Colorado Educator Talent Pool! CDE is seeking exceptional teachers and school leaders for statewide advisory boards, task forces, and recognition programs. Nominations are due by Tuesday, June 17. Shape the Future of Math Education in Colorado
The Colorado Department of Education wants to hear from you! Join a virtual Community Conversation this May or June to share your thoughts on the future of math education in Colorado. Sessions are available for educators, families, students, and leaders—or share your input through a short survey. Learn more.
RESOURCES & GRANTS
 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. Free Amplify CKLA Materials Available for Donation
AXIS is updating its K–5 Amplify CKLA curriculum and has unused workbooks and readers available for donation. Schools interested in picking up materials this summer are encouraged to reach out to learn more.
CDE UPDATES
 Leadership Transition in Schools of Choice Unit
After eight years, Bill Kottenstette is leaving his role as Executive Director of the Schools of Choice Unit to lead The STEAD School, a project-based charter high school. He highlights the growth and resilience of Colorado’s charter, online, and innovation schools, now serving over one in four public students. The unit remains in strong hands for the next chapter. Preliminary Title I-A Allocations Update
The Colorado Department of Education announced a slight decline in the state’s preliminary Fiscal Year 2025 Title I-A allocation, due to approximately 3,400 fewer eligible students based on census data. Preliminary LEA allocations will be available by mid-June. All prior communications are available on the CDE website.  Updates and the Latest News Our latest updates on the New Grant have been posted here, and our latest newsletter can be found here. Please read both of these for the most up-to-date information from the Great Schools Team. Required Policies + Procedures – June 10  Our next session on Tuesday, June 10 from 5–6 p.m. will address the topic of Required Policies and Procedures. We’ll cover the essential documents you’ll need to have in place — from board governance and conflict of interest policies to enrollment procedures, academic performance expectations, and more. Attendees will have time to ask questions, edit draft documents, and engage in peer learning.
Not receiving Great Schools Colorado newsletters? Join our mailing list to stay connected. The Great Schools newsletter archive is here.
| 11th April 2025 |
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