Colorado Department of Education
Declining birth rates, coupled with COVID disruptions, are driving down enrollment in Colorado public schools
The state counted about 1,200 fewer K-12 students this school year. Some analysts expect that, as birth rates continue to decrease, student enrollment in public schools won’t rebound.
Colorado is lowering teacher qualifications amid staff shortage a year before expanding preschool access
Gov. Jared Polis has touted the need to open high-quality preschool to more families, but with less-qualified educators in the classroom, programs could suffer.
Colorado’s graduation rates fell last year. The drop was worse among students of color.
White students saw their graduation rates climb, while rates fell among Black, Hispanic, Native, migrant and homeless students
Down 12 teachers, an Alamosa school drafted everyone they could to teach — including the principal
A statewide substitute teacher shortage has worsened amid the pandemic, leaving schools desperate to fill classrooms when teachers are out. On days they can’t, closing is a possibility.
Rural Colorado students sue to block law demanding 26 schools shed their Native American mascots
The plaintiffs, some of whom claim tribal membership, say the Senate Bill 116 seeks to erase cultural references to Native American heritage
Colorado kids are floundering in math, a “crisis” that may add up to trouble for tomorrow’s workforce
Standardized test results show students have fallen behind further in math than literacy amid the pandemic. The decline means the state’s labor force may lack required skills.
Colorado schools fought to retain teachers during COVID. The struggle isn’t over.
The state actually retained more teachers during the 2020-2021 academic year than in the past, but officials fear more teachers will exit the field as the pandemic drags on.
Two years into Colorado’s home school boom, pandemic uncertainties bring new families into the fold
The state’s population of home-school students doubled in the year after the pandemic hit classrooms. The growth could be long-lasting.
Some achievement gaps widened between white students and their Black and Hispanic peers, new Colorado data shows
A great deal of ground was lost during a year of pandemic learning, CMAS and SAT data shows, though fewer kids took the tests last school year than did in 2019
A rural Colorado school district is spending $3 million to connect kids’ homes to the internet. Will it be enough?
Centennial School District R-1 in San Luis plans to transmit its own internet signal out to families’ homes after years of struggling with the state’s digital divide.
More than 36,000 Colorado kids from low-income families could miss out on the Child Tax Credit, advocates fear
While families that file taxes with the IRS will get checks or deposits automatically, parents who don’t file will need to sign up
One of Colorado’s poorest school districts gave its superintendent a 17% raise after losing $1M-plus in state funding
The $30K pay bump prompted the board president to resign and has the local teachers union asking questions after a battle over teacher pay.
Free meals, flexible schedules: Colorado kids on where federal stimulus money for schools should go
The state listened to a dozen students talk about their pandemic-challenged school year and how Colorado could make next year better.
How Colorado counts kids eligible for subsidized lunch is a recipe for school budget disaster
As lawmakers sit down to reform the state’s school finance formula, they’re worried using help with meals as an indicator of poverty will cause districts to lose money dedicated for “at-risk” students.
Opinion: It’s time for Colorado’s teachers to “know better” about the science of reading
I am energized that the State Board of Education will consider a recommendation to help ensure that future educators are prepared to teach reading using scientifically based approaches.
Is remote learning here to stay? Many, but not all, Colorado schools will offer online classes this fall.
More than 700 Jeffco Public Schools students are enrolled in the district’s new online program for next year, while some rural schools are prioritizing in-person learning.
A rural Colorado high school’s aerospace class is paving the runway for a new generation of pilots
Calhan Public High School students recently took a field trip 1,000 feet above the ground, escorted by pilots wanting to open their eyes to a career in aviation.
Universal free lunch will help Colorado districts keep feeding kids. But could it also rob some schools of state funding?
The USDA has extended universal free meals through the next school year. Some districts worry it could result in fewer state dollars they need for vulnerable students.
Kids aren’t getting school lunches as they learn from home. A plan will get money for missed meals to Colorado families.
But credits for buying groceries won’t hit their pockets until late May, and rollout will extend into the summer
Colorado wants to help kids move past coronavirus learning challenges. But funding is a big hurdle.
A bipartisan bill seeks to meet the costs of intensive tutoring across districts. Lawmakers say they’ll need more funds from the Colorado Department of Education.
