COLORADO LIFESTYLE & COMMUNITY
The sun rises on Nov. 1 over the new athletic field at Rocky Mountain Classical Academy, a charter school in Colorado Springs. Charters play a significant role in Colorado’s school choice environment.
Get Schooled Families Have a Choice BY KIM DALY, Senior Writer
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s a parent, navigating your child’s educational journey can be a chore. But Colorado’s status as an open enrollment state means families have a choice. The law allows for students to either attend their assigned neighborhood school or “choice into” another public school within — or even outside of — their district. From traditional public and magnet schools to public charter schools, online schools and homeschool programs, families can select a path that best fits their child's unique learning style and goals. Magnet and charter schools provide families with public, brick-and-mortar options that are different from their traditional neighborhood schools. While magnet schools offer specialized curricula, charter schools are allowed innovation in exchange for higher accountability. Meanwhile, online schools and homeschooling provide flexibility, especially
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for students who are not hardwired to sit indoors for a standard school week or who require consistent, project-based learning to reinforce concepts. Cullen McDowell is the executive principal at Rocky Mountain Classical Academy in Colorado Springs. Ultimately, he says, all schools serve as a cornerstone in the process of nurturing and educating the next generation, shaping their intellectual, social, and emotional development. “I take pride in offering a choice to families who may be seeking an educational environment that better suits their needs or values,” says McDowell, better known as Principal Mac. It’s this variety and diversity that are imperative for any ecosystem to flourish, points out Emily Hill, director at Haven School, which provides homeschool enrichment. “Children and teachers come in all shapes and sizes, and in order for us to create a community