Colorado Charter Schools

News & Updates

Join us for the Fall Equity Convening: Equitable Access to School Choice - School Meals

We are excited to extend an invitation for you to attend the upcoming CDE's Schools of Choice Fall 2023 Equity Convening - Equitable Access to School Choice: School Meals. Organized by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) in partnership with the Colorado League of Charter Schools and the Colorado Association of Charter School Authorizers, as we delve into the critical topic of providing equitable access to school meals for all students.

The provision of a food program that is accessible to all students is the cornerstone of ensuring that schools become a choice for every family. By offering inclusive food services, we eliminate barriers and open doors for families who might otherwise overlook schools that best cater to their child's needs. Moreover, nutrition and food service not only support school choice but also bolster student attendance, retention, and overall well-being, ultimately leading to stronger academic outcomes. Register here today.

RECRUITMENT NOTICE – Peer Reviewers for 2023 Colorado Charter School Program Grant Applications (CCSP)

The Schools of Choice (SOC) Unit at the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) is conducting the 2023 Colorado Charter School Program (CCSP) Start-up Grant Competition and is in need of a number of volunteers with experience in charter schools to read and review grant applications. This program provides grant funds and technical assistance for up to 4-years to new and expanding charter schools across all of Colorado. To learn more information about the CCSP Grant and upcoming competition visit http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdechart/grantprograms and/or send inquiries via email to SOC@cde.state.co.us.

Office of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education virtual workshop series

The Office of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education will offer a virtual workshop series delivered by authors Tan Huynh and Beth Skelton. The series is based on Huynh's and Skelton's book, Long-Term Success for Experienced Multilinguals and focuses on serving experienced multilinguals, the asset-based term for long-term English learners.
The workshops will consist of four live, multi-session book-study courses for educators teaching grades four through 12 who want to provide equitable learning experiences for experienced multilinguals. Upon completion of the sessions, participants will be eligible for 10 hours of CTE credit. The workshops will be offered in June and again in the fall. To learn more and to sign up for one of the two workshop series, visit the Professional Learning Opportunities webpage. For more information contact, Alice Collins at collins_al@cde.state.co.us, or Janet Turnmeyer at turnmeyer_j@cde.state.co.us

Charter School Governing Board Modules Updates

Charter School Board Training Modules have been updated and are now accessible on the Colorado League of Charter Schools learning management system (Freestone). We encourage all charter school governing board members to access these modules moving forward.

We recognize that many charter school boards, including CCSP sub-grantees, likely began and/or completing courses in the legacy training environment (eNet Learning). Schools will have access to these modules through September 30, 2023. Please see the latest guidance available for both platforms: Freestone | eNet Learning]

Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance (ECCLA) Scholarship and Grant Opportunities

High quality early childhood settings begin with well-trained and well-prepared educators. The Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance (ECCLA) currently offers several state-wide scholarship and grant opportunities for students who would like to earn a degree, certificate, or credential in early childhood education, and for home-based providers who are seeking funding to start up, expand, or maintain consistent operations for their family child care home facility.

ECCLA’s Back to Work Scholarship Program provides 1:1 career and college navigation and scholarship awards up to $2,500.00 that can be used for several different types of expenses - books, supplies, child care, and more!
ECCLA’s Concurrent Enrollment Scholarship is for high school students interested in earning college credits and experience in Early Childhood Education.
ECCLA’s Early Childhood Coach Credential Scholarship is available to help recipients complete the training requirements to earn a Colorado Coach Credential.
ECCLA’s Family Child Care Home Improvement Grant is available to help home-based providers start up, expand, or maintain consistent operations for their family child care home facility.
ECCLA’s Rural R.U.N. Scholarship Program provides career counseling and tuition support to early childhood professionals in rural communities seeking to earn early childhood credentials like ERS®, CLASS®, National Director Credential, Coaching Credential, and any of the ECE College Certificates.

ECCLA’s T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Colorado Scholarship Program offers early childhood professionals a pathway to pursue higher education.

Opportunity, Access and Inclusion Resources

Denver grant program directs resources to Black-led and Black-serving nonprofits

The Black Resilience in Colorado (BRIC) funding program focuses on making an impact on Black communities across the Denver metro area through grants to nonprofits led by and serving Black communities. Its mission is to build long-term sustainability in communities of color. Learn more here

'We Are One Community’ How a charter-district compact in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley built bridges, trust and family access

Relationships between district and charter school leaders are often fraught and framed as a competition for scarce resources. But when educators view themselves as colleagues who share a common interest in serving students and families equitably, lines of communication and cooperation can emerge.

The story of how district and charter school leaders in Colorado’s mountainous Roaring Fork Valley developed a compact to strengthen their relationships is chronicled in a case study from Alan Gottlieb for Gates Family Foundation.

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