Charter Schools

Our Association supports the concept of charter schools, but many Association members are skeptical that charter schools will accomplish what the 1993 state law intended – to develop innovative, successful instructional approaches that can be replicated in all schools to improve student achievement. Nevertheless, we are keeping an open mind about charter schools, encouraging charter school employees to be Association members, and engaging in the NEA Charter School Initiative through a charter school begun by the Colorado Springs Education Association (CIVA Charter High School)

• The 1993 law, introduced by Governor Bill Owens when he was a state senator, was revised many times before the Legislature passed the final compromise bill. CEA did not initially support the 1993 bill, but under the leadership of former CEA president Dan Morris, CEA participated in extensive revisions to the bill and supported the final measure.
• Colorado has one of the more reasonable charter school laws in the country. In our state, charter schools are public schools and the approval process occurs at the local school district level.
• Numerous bills have attempted to give "alternative chartering authority" to other entities than local school boards. Our Association has opposed these attempts, including Senate Bill 100 in the 1999 legislative session that would have allowed the State Board of Education to establish charter schools without local school board consent.
• The Legislature has addressed charter school funding several times since 1993. Currently, a school board must give a charter school at least 80% of the district's PPOR (per pupil operating revenue). Some districts give their charter schools more than this. HB 1113, which became law in the 1999 legislative session, changes charter school funding. Beginning in 2001, school districts must give their charter schools a minimum of 95% of the district's PPR (per pupil revenue).

One of the principles of Colorado's charter school law is that the existence of a charter school in a district cannot financially harm the district. Therefore, CEA has consistently opposed efforts to increase charter school funding because this takes money away from the other schools in the district in a disproportionate manner. We also believe that charter school funding should be determined at the local level, not mandated by the state.

• Our Association supports the involvement of the employee groups (our local associations) in the development of charters and wants employee groups to have the opportunity to represent charter school employees and cover them by collective bargaining agreements.

CEA-NEA position on charter schools

Learn more about charter schools by visiting these web sites:

Colorado Department of Education
U.S. Charter Schools web site