PHOTO: Pictured from left to right is Stephen Bartholomew, Executive Director of New Legacy Charter School, and students Imani with her son Kayden, Lucero with her son Emilio.
DENVER – Following last night’s defeat of the anti-charter bill, House Bill 24-1363, Ready Colorado President and CEO, Brenda Dickhoner, released the following statement:
“Over the course of the 8-hour hearing, we heard from numerous charter school students, parents and leaders who shared incredibly inspiring stories about how charter schools have positively influenced their lives,” said Dickhoner. “It’s unfortunate that we have to continuously defend charter schools, which are a bright spot in our education system, and we are grateful for the bipartisan group of legislators that voted to defeat HB24-1363.”
HB24-1363, introduced by Representatives Lorena García, Tammy Story, and State Senator Lisa Cutter, was defeated with bipartisan opposition in the House Education Committee on an 8-3 vote. The bill, which was disguised as an “accountability” measure for Colorado’s charter schools, would have instead given districts nearly carte blanche authority to shutter those schools, including for reasons such as declining enrollment in the traditional district schools. Additional provisions of the bill would have made it harder for new charter schools to open.
Those testifying against the bill included students from New Legacy Charter School, a school serving teen parents, the leader of Kwiyagat Community Academy, a charter school on tribal lands serving Ute Mountain Ute children, parents from Liberty Common School, a top school in the nation, and many more.
Ready Colorado previously signed onto a joint statement with eight other organizations – including the Colorado League of Charter Schools, Democrats for Education Reform, and the Colorado Children’s Campaign – opposing the legislation.
