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Douglas County School District narrowly approves charter school release amid heated debate
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Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

Douglas County School District narrowly approves charter school release amid heated debate

By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice In a pivotal 4-3 vote on Tuesday night, the Douglas County School District board approved the release of the John Adams Academy charter school to apply for authorization through the Colorado Charter School Institute (CSI). This decision, made possible by conservative members of the board, marks a significant milestone for school choice advocates in Douglas County and underscores the importance of empowering parents with diverse educational options. The debate surrounding this decision was passionate and highlighted a fundamental divide: should charter schools be confined to district oversight, or should they have the flexibility to pursue authorization through alternative pathways like CSI? For supporters of school choi...
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Douglas County School District to close three schools in 2026 through consolidation plan
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denvergazette.com, Local

Douglas County School District to close three schools in 2026 through consolidation plan

By Noah Festenstein | Denver Gazette Amid a statewide decline in student enrollment and other Colorado school closures, the Douglas County School District plans to close up to three of its elementary schools in the near future, according to the district. The school district is considering "pairing" and "consolidating" six elementary schools within Highlands Ranch — a municipality with more than enough schools but not enough students, according to district officials. DCSD officials said a decision on what elementary school will close is to be made in April following community feedback and public meetings. Closures are slated to occur in August 2026. READ THE FIULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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Denver teachers’ union cost of living dispute heads to arbitration
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denvergazette.com, Local

Denver teachers’ union cost of living dispute heads to arbitration

By Nicole C. Brambila | Denver Gazette Denver Public Schools officials will face an arbitrator next month over a disputed 5.2% cost of living adjustment the teachers’ union officials said they are owed. A cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, is intended to help employees keep up with inflation. Raises — which district officials appear to be conflating in their argument — are separate from a cost-of-living increase. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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Faced with possible school closures, Denver teachers seek clarity about their jobs
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Chalkbeat Colorado, Local

Faced with possible school closures, Denver teachers seek clarity about their jobs

By Melanie Asmar | Chalkbeat Colorado At lunchtime meetings last week at Denver schools that may close or shrink, teachers were full of questions about their fate: Would educators at the closing schools be guaranteed jobs next year? Would they be able to follow their students to new schools? Unlike in 2023, when Denver Public Schools made a deal with the teachers union to guarantee educators at closing schools a one-year job at the schools that received their students, no such agreement exists now. With the Denver school board set to vote Thursday on whether to close or partially close 10 schools, many teachers are feeling uncertain. Students are, too. “I don’t think it’s right to close our school,” a fifth grader named Analizeth told school board members who visited Castro E...
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Two more elementaries to close in Western Slope district, school board unanimously decides
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Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Two more elementaries to close in Western Slope district, school board unanimously decides

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice A special board meeting for Mesa County Valley School District 51 on Friday evening led to a 5-0 vote to close Clifton and Scenic Elementary Schools. The vote came after a presentation by demographer Shannon Bingham, and a discussion on the declining enrollment, demographic shifts and the district's finances. Shannon Bingham, the district's demographer, presented data detailing a decline in birth rates and a shift in housing. Both factors are causing reduced enrollment. “We are not getting student growth from the neighborhood. The numbers say that [enrollment] is going to continue to go down into the upper 20s,” Bingham explained. He pointed to projections of a 15-20% drop in kindergarten enrollment over the next five years. ...
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Denver has spent millions in voter-approved bond money to upgrade schools it might close
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Chalkbeat Colorado, Local

Denver has spent millions in voter-approved bond money to upgrade schools it might close

By Melanie Asmar | Chalkbeat Colorado Denver Public Schools has spent $22.6 million in voter-approved bond dollars over the past four years on schools that district officials are now considering closing or downsizing, according to information obtained by Chalkbeat in an open records request. That dollar amount only includes construction projects unique to the 10 school buildings that would be closed or partially closed if the Denver school board votes yes Thursday on a proposal by Superintendent Alex Marrero to shutter seven schools and shrink three more due to declining enrollment. It does not include districtwide projects. Of the 10 schools, five are located in standalone buildings that would become vacant. About $4.6 million of the $22.6 million in bond money was spen...
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Western Colorado school board votes to close one elementary school, two more could shutter
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Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Western Colorado school board votes to close one elementary school, two more could shutter

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice It was an emotional night at the Mesa County Valley District 51 school board meeting on Nov. 19, as more than 50 public commenters packed a seven-hour session that stretched past midnight. Parents, students, teachers and community members voiced their concerns about the proposed closure of Scenic, Nisley and Clifton Elementary Schools. "No one wants to be in a situation where they are having to close schools," Superintendent Dr. Brian Hill said. "It will never feel good, but it is the situation we find ourselves in."  Hill detailed the data-driven approach used to identify schools for closure. He highlighted the Elementary Declining Enrollment Committee’s criteria, which included building adequacy, enrollment and transportatio...
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Report details D51’s poor financial standing, reasoning behind school closures
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KJCT-TV ABC 8, Local

Report details D51’s poor financial standing, reasoning behind school closures

By Ivonne Olivas | KJCT-TV ABC 8 Earlier this week, D51 announced the three schools on the recommended closures list. On Friday, the district released a report detailing their reasoning for Nisley, Scenic and Clifton Elementary schools facing potential closures. In the report, the district detailed its poor financial standing. The state provides each Colorado school district with per pupil funding, meaning that D51, which expects to see a decline in 400 to 500 students per year, isn’t receiving sufficient funds to keep all the schools open and staffed. According to the report, Nisley Elementary faces closure due to academic underperformance. READ THE FULL STORY AT KJCT-TV ABC 8
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Ganahl: Say ‘NO’ to political flags in our classrooms!
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Commentary, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Ganahl: Say ‘NO’ to political flags in our classrooms!

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The Durango 9-R School Board is poised to take an alarming step that undermines the values of neutrality and inclusivity our schools should uphold. On Tuesday, the school board plans to vote on a resolution that would officially designate certain political symbols — like the Black Lives Matter and Progress Pride flags — as the district’s own speech. This sleight of hand allows them to avoid the protections of the 1st Amendment, shutting the door on diverse perspectives while granting preferential treatment to one viewpoint. Let’s be clear: this is government-sanctioned discrimination. By rebranding these flags as “compatible with educational goals,” the board is imposing a specific political ideology on our classrooms. This is wro...
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Parents plead for dyslexia screening mandate, and some Colorado education officials are on board
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Chalkbeat Colorado, State

Parents plead for dyslexia screening mandate, and some Colorado education officials are on board

By Ann Schimke | Chalkbeat Colorado Bri Luna said her daughter started kindergarten with the nickname “Little Miss Sunshine” and by middle school was on antidepressants because of her reading struggles. Mary Sailas said her second grade son, who shifted from foot to foot next to her, told her he’d choose the ability to read over the superpower of flying. And in a particularly heart-breaking moment, Amy Thompson described how her high school-age daughter took her life in 2022 after years of floundering in reading and in school. The three mothers were among about 10 Colorado parents and advocates who begged the State Board of Education at the group’s monthly meeting Wednesday for mandatory statewide dyslexia screening. READ THE FULL STORY AT CHALKBEAT COLORADO
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