 Dear School Leaders and Supporters,
Hard to believe we’re already into the month of February! As we settle further into the new year, we’re eager to keep you informed on the latest developments at the Capitol. With the General Assembly’s 75th session now fully underway, we want to highlight four key updates that will shape the conversation around education policy in Colorado. 
- Legislative Agenda: Our north star this legislative session is advancing our 2025 legislative agenda. A key pillar of this effort is defending the foundational principles that allow charter schools to thrive. On that note, we have an important update.
We have been working closely with key coalition partners to address a bill from a state senator that, in its original form, would have severely harmed charter schools authorized by the Charter School Institute (CSI). The bill would have granted veto power to the legislature to overturn decisions made by the CSI board and, in the process, made it nearly impossible for new CSI schools to open or for existing ones to expand. This week, we were pleased to learn that the senator has decided not to pursue the bill, in large part because of our work and the work of key coalition partners.
While this is a significant victory, we remain vigilant in monitoring other potential legislation that could negatively impact charter schools.
- Elimination of “Averaging”: Colorado currently calculates district funding using a five-year average of student enrollment, though lawmakers reduced this to a four-year average last year. Now, Governor Polis has proposed eliminating averaging altogether—funding schools based only on their current-year enrollment.
As many are aware, charter schools have always had to operate in “real-time,” receiving funds based on how many students are currently enrolled, not how many students were served years ago.
However, school districts and many traditional K-12 advocacy organizations strongly oppose this shift, arguing it will create financial instability, and have promised to fight this proposal at every turn.
This debate will likely dominate the legislative session, and the League of Charter Schools is closely monitoring it. We believe that funding should follow the students who are in classrooms today, ensuring resources are directed where they are needed most.
 Advocacy Day: On January 28th, nearly 150 students from 36 different charter schools across the state met with 30 different legislators as part of the League’s annual Charter School Advocacy Day. Elected officials shared with the League how impacted they were by the stories the students told them. Senate President Coleman shared he had never seen so many students at the Capitol in his decade as a legislator.
Let’s continue the momentum! If you have not invited your legislator to your school or introduced yourself to your representatives, this is your chance to do so. If you do not know your legislator, you can use this link to find them. The advocacy team is happy to help make introductions and set up visits as well. Please reach out to [email protected].
- Stay Engaged - Your Voice Matters: There are several ways to stay actively involved in the legislative process this session:
- Legislative Lunches – Last week, we kicked off our members-only discussions on key education bills and the League’s advocacy efforts at the Capitol. This is an informal conversation where you can hear updates from Prateek Dutta, VP of Policy for the League while asking questions. Join us here.
- Legislative Updates – Stay informed with our regular email updates throughout the session, keeping you up to speed until early May. Access past newsletters here.
- Bill Tracker – Here is a list of bills we are tracking and where the bill is currently in the legislative process.
- Direct Contact – Have questions, ideas, or feedback? Reach out to our advocacy team or contact Prateek at [email protected].
Lastly, several schools have asked us about Executive Orders related to education emanating from the new Trump administration. We are monitoring them closely and are in regular communication with our partners at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools about them. As we learn more and have more actionable guidance to provide, we will be sure to follow up with further information. Sincerely, The League’s Policy and Advocacy Team |
