 📌 The News to Know Students carry Ute culture forward, school meals hit the ballot again, and an all-girls middle school model puts movement first. Explore what the latest NAEP results reveal about student performance, and why learning loss could shape national politics. Plus, debate over student achievement trends and free speech in education. Good news — the deadline’s extended! 🎉 Submit your 2026 Conference session proposal by October 3 to inspire and connect with charter leaders statewide. 📩 Have news from your campus or community? Share it with us by 12 PM each Thursday for inclusion in the NEWS.   Evergreen High School students return to classes Thursday
Denver Gazette | September 25
Evergreen High School students returned to campus on Thursday morning, two weeks after a shooting shocked the small town. What’s on Colorado’s 2025 November ballot? Voters asked to weigh-in on school meal funding
KDVR | September 25
Coloradans will be asked to decide two ballot questions this November that were passed by the Colorado General Assembly during its special session this summer.  Academic achievement gap key issue in DPS board election, recent candidate forum
Boardhawk | September 22
The yawning gaps separating the academic achievement of minority and white students has plagued Denver Public Schools for decades. Two Liberty Common High School students among top 1% nationally on Classical Learning Test
Fort Collins Coloradoan | September 25
Liberty Common High School students Julianna Woldseth and Gabriel McDanald earned scores among the top 50 in the country in the 2025 Classical Learning Test, the school announced in a news release.  Schools Chief Ryan Walters Steps Down to Lead Anti-Union Group
The 74 | September 25
He once called Oklahoma’s teachers union a "terrorist organization.” Now state Superintendent Ryan Walters is threatening to “destroy” teachers unions nationwide. Walters announced his resignation Thursday night to become CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, an anti-union initiative of the Freedom Foundation, a conservative think tank. Gaslighting parents about learning loss could cost Democrats the White House
Fordham Institute | September 25
As a Los Angeles Unified School District parent during the pandemic, I had a front row seat as my fellow Democrats and their teachers union allies lit the match that turned a global health crisis into an education inferno.  New Report Reveals the Struggle Worldwide to Prepare Young People for Work
The 74 | September 23
Too many countries send young people into adulthood without the skills or support they need to thrive at work. American Students are Getting Dumber
The 74 | September 24
One of the major themes of my writing is that mass media is driven by negativity bias, which is driven by audience behavior, and this is slowly driving us all crazy.  Experts Dissect What Confusing New Vax Rules Could Mean for Kids, Parents
The 74 | September 22
Over two days of chaotic meetings, RFK Jr.’s newly handpicked CDC advisory group updated vaccine recommendations, including for measles and COVID. Another AI Side Effect: Erosion of Student-Teacher Trust
The 74 | September 22
William Liang was sitting in chemistry class one day last spring, listening to a teacher deliver a lecture on “responsible AI use,” when he suddenly realized what his teachers are up against.  With SNAP Cuts, this Federal Food Program may Become a Lifeline for Families
The 74 | September 22
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), a federal nutrition education and meal reimbursement program, feeds 4.4 million children annually, including young kids in a variety of early care and education settings. Schools confront a new reality: They can’t count on federal money
Hechinger Report | September 18
In the time it took to read an email, the federal money vanished before Superintendent Eisa Cox’s eyes: dollars that supported the Ashe County school district’s after-school program, training for its teachers, salaries for some jobs.   Town Hall Recap
View last Friday's Town Hall deck or recording on our Town Hall page here. (Scroll down to "past Town Halls.") Our guest, Mark Ferrandino, the Governor's Office of State Planning & Budget Director, reviewed the status of the state budget for us with an eye toward public education. We also reviewed League offerings and priorities for the school year. If you have questions, please reach out to [email protected]. Membership Renewals
The League is in the middle of its renewal season, which ends on September 30; thank you to all who have renewed thus far. Log in to the League's website (as a "finance contact"), view "My Account" in the upper right, then "Organizational Invoices" to view your status. Your connection to the League and to all the schools in the network helps us all move forward together. Thank you!
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
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].  2025 HUB Colorado Leadership Summit (Denver): Oct. 15
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. 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.
GET INVOLVED
 Nominate a Student Leader for Charter Champions 2025-26
Do you know a charter high school student who’s ready to lead, advocate, and speak up for their school community? Nominate them today for the Charter Champions program—a four-month student advocacy training from the League that builds leadership, public speaking, and civic engagement skills. Share your Trauma-Informed Elementary 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]. Transcend Launches Rural Career-Connected Collaborative
Transcend is inviting rural school leaders to join a new 15-month, fully funded cohort program beginning in January. The Rural Career-Connected Collaborative will support communities in designing the next chapter of career-connected learning tailored to their unique strengths, needs, and aspirations.
RESOURCES & GRANTS
Share the Daniels Scholarship Opportunity
The Daniels Scholarship Program is now accepting applications through October 17, 2025, offering more than 200 students each year the chance to earn up to a full ride at partner colleges in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and beyond (up to $25,000 annually at schools nationwide). A digital toolkit is available to make it simple for schools and community partners to share this life-changing opportunity with their networks and help open doors to higher education for deserving high school seniors.  Governor’s Colorado Civic Educator of the Year
Nominations are open through October 10 for the Governor’s Colorado Civic Educator of the Year Award, which honors a K-12 teacher who excels in civic education and inspires students to become engaged citizens. The winner will receive $1,000 and be recognized at the Civics for Colorado event on November 4. Positive Athlete – Now Accepting Nominations
Here's your chance to recognize a high character, high school, student-athlete! Positive Athlete celebrates athletes for their leadership, character, and community impact—not just their athletic ability. Nominate a deserving student today. Grades 9-12, any sport, boys or girls are eligible. The process is free and easy, with all nominees receiving free lifelong access to development resources in addition to being eligible for scholarships.  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.
CDE SCHOOLS OF CHOICE UPDATES
Superintendent's briefing from the Commissioner on Federal Funding Updates from CCSSO & Update on Colorado state budget forecasts here
The Council of Chief State School Officers shared the following information about the potential impact of a federal government shutdown on Tuesday, and the Legislative Council Staff (LCS) and the Governor’s Office State Planning and Budgeting (OSPB) released their September quarterly economic forecasts (LCS slides). More details on both here. Charter School Authorizers: Share Your Feedback in CACSA’s Survey
The Colorado Association of Charter School Authorizers (CACSA) is gathering input through a brief, anonymous survey to help shape future training, resources, and support for all authorizers. Take a few minutes to make your voice count.  Fall 2025 AI Webinar Series
The Fall 2025 AI Webinar Series offers free, one-hour sessions every Wednesday from 4–5 p.m., featuring expert insights and real classroom examples from Colorado educators. Participants will explore how AI can save time, support differentiation, and boost student engagement with practical tools and strategies to implement immediately. View the full lineup and register here. Preliminary Charter School Waiver Review
Authorizers and charter schools are welcome to provide draft Rationale and Replacement Plans (RRP) of state waivers from statute or board rule for an early review and feedback. Please email them to Janyse Skalla at [email protected] 
| 25th September 2025 |
| Minga Education Group |
| Minga Education Group, a Colorado-based nonprofit, partners with charter schools to strengthen operations and build capacity so leaders and staff can focus on their core mission of educating students. |
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| New CDE Healthy Schools Initiative |
| Join the Whole Child Health: Resource Round Up on Thursday, October 9, 2025, from 3:00–4:15 PM. This session offers quick presentations and Q&A to highlight programs and resources supporting student health. Register here. |
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| Action for Healthy Kids TrustEd training |
| TrustEd offers free training for educators, school staff, community members, parents, and caregivers focused on creating trusting relationships with young people for the purpose of building resilience and preventing the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) like vapes. Learn more. |
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| Join the National Fishing in Schools Program |
| Join Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the National Fishing in Schools Program, a standards-compliant program, for the first "Cast A Lure, Catch A Student" Spincasting In-Person Training in Colorado. The training is at STEM Launch School in Thornton, on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. |
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| Art Teacher K-8th |
Contract type: Full-Time
Salary: $$50,850 - $79,100pa
Closing date: Sep 30, 2025 12:00 AM
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| Montessori Peaks Academy, 9904 W. Capri Avenue, Littleton CO 80123 |
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| Paraprofessional |
Contract type: Full-Time
Salary: $22.50/hourpa
Closing date: Sep 30, 2025 12:00 AM
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| Vanguard Classical School East Campus, 17101 E. Ohio Ave. |
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| Special Education Teacher and Coordinator |
Contract type: Full-Time
Salary:
Closing date: Sep 30, 2025 12:00 AM
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| Prospect Academy, Arvada, CO |
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