 📰 This Week in Education News Learn how Pagosa Peak Open School showcases innovative leadership in the face of Colorado’s principal turnover and why Kentucky is debating the legality of charter schools. Plus, fresh NAEP results and record-low satisfaction with K–12 education highlight the growing urgency to rethink how we support students. Join us for our first virtual Town Hall this morning at 9:30 AM to hear Mark Ferrandino discuss Colorado’s budget outlook and what it means for schools, plus League updates on sector performance and opportunities ahead. 📩 Have news from your campus or community? Share it with us by 12 PM each Thursday for inclusion in the NEWS.    Back-to-school in a failing system
Colorado Politics | August 24
It is that time when the young ones grab their backpack, mom snaps the annual back-to-school photo and off go little Lucas and little Evelyn to begin a new school year. Teacher unions drive public-school failure
The Gazette | September 18
In a recent Denver Gazette column, Eric Sonderman described the chronically underperforming American public education system as “nothing short of a national scandal,’’ deserving of the disparaging moniker “Edugate.”  Once again, the Denver school board’s shameless majority disrespects the public
Boardhawk | September 17
The story focuses on a hitherto unknown, secret, two-school-board-member committee formed last spring to work on an extended and revised contract for DPS Superintendent Alex Marrero. New Colorado group focuses on student achievement, parent rights. Will it fan culture war flames?
Chalkbeat | September 16
Public education has lost its way, the presenter told the school board of District 49, which includes part of Colorado Springs and sprawls northeast.  Where Western Slope legislators stand on Colorado’s top education issues
Vail Daily | September 12
According to Colorado’s largest teachers union, Democrats voted overwhelmingly in favor of bills supporting public education compared to Republicans. On the Western Slope, the picture is more nuanced, both within and outside of the union’s criteria.  How Private School Choice Threatens the Bedrock of Our Democracy
The 74 | September 17
Now more than at any moment in recent history, the promise of public education is under attack and becoming increasingly vulnerable.  U.S. Education Dept. unites conservative groups to create 'patriotic' civics content
NPR | September 17
The U.S. Department of Education announced a partnership Wednesday with more than 40 conservative organizations to create programming around civics aimed at the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. After Charlie Kirk’s assassination, new scrutiny on what teachers can — and should — say
Chalkbeat | September 17
America’s teachers have been put on notice. If they posted “despicable comments” about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, they could lose their state certification, Florida Education Commissioner  Student Achievement is Down Overall — but Kids at the Bottom are Sinking Faster
The 74 | September 16
When people hear that achievement scores — including on the latest NAEP — are down yet again, their first assumption might be that student performance is declining across the board. ‘Public Health Whiplash’: RFK Jr.’s Renewed Autism Plans Stoke Fresh Fears
The 74 | September 16
As the clock ticks down on Robert F. Kennedy’s self-imposed deadline to identify and reveal a supposed cause of autism, the U.S. Health and Human Services Department secretary has stoked fresh fears within the disability community.  Superintendent Churn is Up, but More Districts Choose Women Leaders
The 74 | September 15
Five years after the pandemic, superintendent turnover in the nation’s top 500 districts hasn’t settled down. Undocumented Preschoolers Can Stay in Head Start — for Now
The 74 | September 12
Undocumented children will be permitted to remain in Head Start programs throughout the country while a case challenging an order by the Trump administration barring them makes its way through the courts, a Seattle judge ruled Thursday.  Kentucky Supreme Court hears arguments over legality of public charter schools
Herald Leader | September 12
The Kentucky Supreme Court on Thursday heard oral arguments about whether the state’s charter school funding law violates the state’s constitution. The Best Takes on the Worst NAEP Scores Ever
SCHOOLED | September 12
Mike Petrilli reviews a range of expert responses to the latest troubling results from the NAEP, exploring what the data implies for education policy, instruction, and accountability.  A new Nation's Report Card shows drops in science, math and reading scores
NPR | September 9
New test scores from the NAEP, also known as the Nation's Report Card, show eighth-graders' science scores have fallen 4 points since 2019 and 12th-graders' math and reading scores have fallen 3 points in the same time period.   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! Free Office Partition Available
The League has a gently used office partition (7’5” tall x 9’ wide, including one wall-mounting magnet) that didn’t work for our space. We’d love to pass it along to a school that can use it—free of charge. Pick-up will be required. If you are interested, please email us.
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
 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].  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].  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
Help 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. 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.  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
Charter School Facility Assistance Program
The 2024–25 Facility Assistance program performance period ends Sept. 30. Awardees must obligate all allowable expenses by this date and submit fund requests by Nov. 15 in coordination with their authorizers to ensure timely drawdowns. For questions, email [email protected]. Charter School Appeal
The State Board of Education has remanded Montrose County School District’s denial of Montrose Classical Academy’s charter application back to the district for reconsideration. The district has 30 days to revisit the application, and if approved, MCA plans to open a K–5 classical/core knowledge school in August 2026. Read more.  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] 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.  September has been a month of recognition, growth, and continued momentum for our charter community. From honoring national observances and reflecting on civic responsibility to advancing budget reviews with Lumen Impact Group and strengthening authorizing practices through CACSA, important work is underway to support schools’ long-term success. We also celebrate inspiring achievements, like the Lotus School for Excellence being recognized by the Mayor of Aurora, alongside national trends showing continued charter school enrollment growth. Leaders gathered at the Annual Finance Seminar to explore tools and policies shaping financial sustainability, and we look ahead to upcoming opportunities at the Leadership Summit 2025 and the Annual Charter Schools Conference 2026. 📰 Read the full September GSC newsletter here. Stay connected and subscribe here. 
| 18th September 2025 |
| Piper Sandler |
| A national leader in charter school facility financing |
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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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| Colorado Community Schools Conference | November 6–7 |
| This statewide conference will bring together district and school staff, families, funders, government entities, community organizations, advocacy groups, networks, and coalitions. |
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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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