Wins from the Year and Thank You

Shared Successes and the Value of Your Membership

With the end of another school year upon us, I want to thank each of you for your support and contributions to what we’ve accomplished on behalf of students and families across our great state.

We regularly emphasize how much we can collectively accomplish when we work together, and this year was no different. Several of those successes are listed below, but know that we will be here for you regardless of what next year brings, and the year after that, and the year after that.

Financial and Legislative Successes:

A $250M increase to the state’s Moral Obligation Program,
$100M in federal funding for CSP and SFIG through the League and CDE,
PPR rose once again for a 10-year increase of 60%,
And we again (along with CLCS Action and our allies) proved our strength this fall by defending against an anti-charter majority on the State Board of Education.
See here for a more complete list of League and charter wins from the year.

The work that we do today and into the future

Over the years, the League has become a strong and effective advocate for you, your students, and the landscape of high-quality public school options. We will continue to advocate at the state and local levels through our work at the Capitol, our grassroots advocacy support, and our sister organization CLCS Action. Together, the League is able to spend over $2 on advocacy for every $1 received in membership dues.

It is because of your membership that we can leverage additional donations and expenditures on staff, on projects, and on working to ensure Colorado remains one of the best charter school environments in the country. We’ll spend over $2M alone on this effort again next year to defend and advance the sector.

Thank you again for your membership, your support, your partnership, and your advocacy on behalf of charters, your communities, and your students. We are proud to be standing here alongside you all,

Dan Schaller, President
Colorado League of Charter Schools

Author

Dan Schaller

President, Colorado League of Charter Schools

Dan currently serves as President of the Colorado League of Charter Schools, a position he assumed in 2020 after having led the League’s policy and advocacy work since 2014. During that time, he oversaw a number of significant improvements for Colorado’s charter schools, including the successful passage of House Bill 1375, which brought mill levy equalization to Colorado’s charters in 2017, and the advancement of Colorado’s charter school law to #2 in the nation in 2018.

Says Dan, “I believe that we need to continuously find ways to enhance public education opportunities for all Colorado students. Charter public schools, because of their increased autonomy and accountability, are powerful tools for creating innovative education models that benefit our entire education system.”

Prior to joining the League, Dan served in a number of education and policy-related roles. He was a teacher and founding staff member at the highly successful Arrupe Jesuit High School in Denver, and served as Senior Director of Strategy and Communications with the Denver Preschool Program, an innovative taxpayer-funded initiative focused on enhancing preschool access to all families in Denver. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from St. Louis University, a Master’s in secondary education from Regis University, and a Master’s in public policy from the University of Denver. He resides in Denver with his wife and two daughters.

Wins from the Year and Thank You

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