Bureau Chief — Chalkbeat Colorado
Most Colorado students now attend schools in districts that have mask mandates
At least 78% of Colorado students in preschool through 12th grade now attend school under a mask mandate
New guidance urges Colorado school districts to require masks, but governor sees no need for state mandate
Jared Polis' remarks are in keeping with the local control approach the state has adopted this school year.
Colorado offers gift cards to students who sign up for COVID testing
Students will be eligible for a $25 gift card for the first test and $10 for each subsequent test.
Colorado’s standardized test scores are in. But did your kid even take the test?
One thing is clear: Many students struggled academically last year.
Weekly testing could limit COVID’s spread in Colorado schools, state officials say as cases among kids surge
Cases among children ages 6 to 11, who are too young to be vaccinated, started increasing in July. Since mid-August, when students returned to school, cases in the age group have risen sharply.
Colorado Board of Education demands answers in Adams 14 rift with outside manager
While the outside operator pointed to a track record of improvement, a consultant hired by the new superintendent of the suburban Denver school district called the partnership “totally ineffective” and recommended it end
Colorado voters split along party lines on mask and vaccine mandates in schools
Parents as a whole were almost evenly split on whether masks should be required in schools, a new poll finds
A Colorado Springs school district says it won’t report COVID cases even though Colorado law requires it
The school district said the risks of quarantine outweigh the risk of disease
Masks will be required in Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas county schools for those under 12
Should any of those individual counties opt out of the requirement, it would be up to school districts to decide whether to follow the order
Adopting CDC guidance, Colorado recommends everyone wear masks in school settings
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released its updated school guidance late Friday evening, three days after the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed their own recommendations
More than half of aspiring Colorado elementary teachers fail their licensure exam on the first try. Many don’t try again.
New teachers pay hundreds of dollars out of pocket to take these exams, so there is a lot at stake
Colorado’s new COVID guidance for schools: Masks not required, quarantine rules relaxed
Some Colorado school districts have already announced they won’t require masks next year, while in others, officials said they were weighing their options and waiting for state guidance
Should Colorado students wear masks in school next academic year? Most districts are still weighing their options.
School officials in many communities face competing pressures between public health guidance, parents who want a more “normal” school year for their children, and other parents who want to see COVID precautions remain in place
Tay Anderson to resume Denver school board duties before investigation ends
Anderson said his return to work is “effective immediately,” though board meetings do not resume until August
Denver school board confirms Alex Marrero as next superintendent
Marrero will start July 6, taking the helm of Colorado’s largest school district as it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic
Colorado’s education pie just got bigger. Now lawmakers want to give a larger slice to higher-needs students.
House Bill 1325 would expand the definition of children living in poverty and qualifying for additional funding and, for the first time, give districts more money for every English language learner enrolled in their schools
Tay Anderson says Denver superintendent vote will be his last until at least August
“I intend to vote for the superintendent and that will be my last vote until the next school board year begins in August, if the investigation has concluded,” Anderson said
Latino community coalition calls for delay in Denver schools superintendent vote
The Denver school board announced last week that Alexa Marrero, most recently the interim superintendent in New Rochelle, New York, was its choice to serve as the Denver district’s next superintendent
Tay Anderson will step away from Denver Public Schools board duties during sexual misconduct investigation
Anderson announced his decision two days after the school board announced it was aware of new allegations against him
Effort to expand Colorado districts’ power to reject charter schools is voted down
Two Democrats on the House Education Committee joined three Republicans in voting down House Bill 1295 in a 5-4 vote
