2020 Back to School Guide

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D11 Ad - Gazette Back to School Guide 2020 (Marks and Bleeds).pdf 1 7/10/2020 10:18:23 AM

Inspire every mind.

School starts August 17 and Colorado Springs School District 11 remains committed to providing rigorous and safe learning C

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environments for all students. We know our students need flexibility to learn during this global pandemic and we are planning for:

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• Online learning environments • In-person learning environments • Potential hybrid online/in-person learning environments

For more information, please visit

www.d11.org/returntolearn To enroll your student, please visit

www.d11.org/enrollment or call (719) 520-2297 2 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 26, 2020

No matter what you want to be when you grow up...

... Combine your passions at CIVA...

Together we can help you reach your dreams.

• Earn College Credit • Advanced Placement Courses • Small, Safe School • Emphasis on the Visual and Performing Arts

WWW.CIVACHARTERSCHOOL.ORG • 719-633-1306 JULY 26, 2020 BACK TO SCHOOL

Guide 3

CLASSROOM LEARNING IN EL PASO COUNTY SCHOOLS

will look a bit different this fall

By Debbie Kelley

El Paso County K-12 students returning to school in late summer will be back in familiar surroundings after the coronavirus pandemic abruptly ended the spring semester.

But that could be all that's unchanged.

They may stay in the same classroom or with the same group of students all day with scheduled breaks for hand-washing. There'll be no assemblies or lunch in the cafeteria. Students will have their temperature checked and wear face masks or shields. Hugging is out.

“There is no doubt that students across El Paso County suffered academic losses and emotional trauma during the time they were not allowed at school,” the letter states.

Contents Classroom Learning in El Paso County Schools will look a big different this fall

.................................................................... 4-5

The 2020 High School Sports Fall Season, what it looks like now

.....................................................................6-7

A Pandemic Exposed the cracks in Colorado school funding system ....... 8-11 El Paso County School District will require masks for students, staff ........... 10 Getting Rid of School Resource Officers not likely to happen in Colorado Springs officials say

.............................................................. 13-16

2020

4 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 26, 2020

“If we are to both meet our constitutional and moral obligations to provide every student with access to an appropriate, equitable and high quality public education, not to mention allowing parents to return to the workforce and their livelihoods, we must open our doors in August and welcome our students back to the classroom as safely as possible.”

Eighteen superintendents of public schools in the region signed the letter, acknowledging they collectively agree on and are committed to follow the protocols they’ve created, which “demonstrate a thoughtful, practical and flexible approach” to reopening schools.

“We are simply outlining the steps we are committed to taking in order to make that happen,” Cooper said. “If we don’t take the lead on ensuring this happens, we run the risk of leaving kids behind.”

The health and safety measures that local schools will implement are divided into categories that include Healthy Practices, Classrooms and Educational Spaces, Cohort Management and Personal Responsibility. In addition to having adults and students staying 6 feet apart, not shaking hands or hugging, and performing extra cleaning and disinfecting, schools should store children’s belongings in individual containers and open doors and windows to increase air circulation.

Children won’t be able to share supplies and likely will eat in their classroom or wherever the group they spend the day with meets. Among the guidelines, schools also should consider alternative classroom settings to serve children with special health care needs.

20/21

BA

IMAGINE. INVENT. INSPIRE.

YMCA B&A. It’s where your child belongs.

Reserve your spot now with YMCA Before and After School programs for the 2020/2021 school year.

Serving multiple school districts and charter schools throughout El Paso County.

The guidelines will provide continuity and consistency, which Cooper said is beneficial because countywide, many districts share parents, teachers, substitute teachers, students and staff.

“The entire region is committed to providing the best we can for all students and any way we can share resources and practices helps all kids.”

Register online at ppymca.org/beforeandafter

Walt Cooper Cheyenne Mountain School District Superintendent (Photo courtesy of Cheyenne Mountain School District)

“It’s important for superintendents to take this lead because not only do we know we need to get kids back to school, but also because there is immense planning and preparation that has to go in to getting kids back in school — so we can’t wait for state guidelines or guidance which has to date come late in the game and has been unpredictable,” said Walt Cooper, superintendent of Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 and head of the association.

Superintendents are taking what Gov. Jared Polis has said “at his word,” Cooper said, which is that the governor expects students to be back in school in August.

Schools in the Pikes Peak region closed March 13 and didn’t reopen for the remainder of the spring semester due to the coronavirus pandemic.

JULY 26, 2020 BACK TO SCHOOL

Guide 5

CLASSROOM LEARNING IN EL PASO COUNTY SCHOOLS will look a big different this fall

By Debbie Kelley

El Paso County K-12 students returning to school in late summer will be back in familiar surroundings after the coronavirus pandemic abruptly ended the spring semester.

But that could be all that's unchanged.

They may stay in the same classroom or with the same group of students all day with scheduled breaks for hand-washing. There'll be no assemblies or lunch in the cafeteria. Students will have their temperature checked and wear face masks or shields. Hugging is out.

“There is no doubt that students across El Paso County suffered academic losses and emotional trauma during the time they were not allowed at school,” the letter states.

Contents Classroom Learning in El Paso County Schools will look a big different this fall

.................................................................... 4-5

The 2020 High School Sports Fall Season, what it looks like now

.....................................................................6-7

A Pandemic Exposed the cracks in Colorado school funding system ....... 8-11 El Paso County School District will require masks for students, staff ........... 10 Getting Rid of School Resource Officers not likely to happen in Colorado Springs officials say

.............................................................. 13-16

2020

4 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 26, 2020

“If we are to both meet our constitutional and moral obligations to provide every student with access to an appropriate, equitable and high quality public education, not to mention allowing parents to return to the workforce and their livelihoods, we must open our doors in August and welcome our students back to the classroom as safely as possible.”

Eighteen superintendents of public schools in the region signed the letter, acknowledging they collectively agree on and are committed to follow the protocols they’ve created, which “demonstrate a thoughtful, practical and flexible approach” to reopening schools.

“We are simply outlining the steps we are committed to taking in order to make that happen,” Cooper said. “If we don’t take the lead on ensuring this happens, we run the risk of leaving kids behind.”

The health and safety measures that local schools will implement are divided into categories that include Healthy Practices, Classrooms and Educational Spaces, Cohort Management and Personal Responsibility. In addition to having adults and students staying 6 feet apart, not shaking hands or hugging, and performing extra cleaning and disinfecting, schools should store children’s belongings in individual containers and open doors and windows to increase air circulation.

Children won’t be able to share supplies and likely will eat in their classroom or wherever the group they spend the day with meets. Among the guidelines, schools also should consider alternative classroom settings to serve children with special health care needs.

20/21

BA

IMAGINE. INVENT. INSPIRE.

YMCA B&A. It’s where your child belongs.

Reserve your spot now with YMCA Before and After School programs for the 2020/2021 school year.

Serving multiple school districts and charter schools throughout El Paso County.

The guidelines will provide continuity and consistency, which Cooper said is beneficial because countywide, many districts share parents, teachers, substitute teachers, students and staff.

“The entire region is committed to providing the best we can for all students and any way we can share resources and practices helps all kids.”

Register online at ppymca.org/beforeandafter

Walt Cooper Cheyenne Mountain School District Superintendent (Photo courtesy of Cheyenne Mountain School District)

“It’s important for superintendents to take this lead because not only do we know we need to get kids back to school, but also because there is immense planning and preparation that has to go in to getting kids back in school — so we can’t wait for state guidelines or guidance which has to date come late in the game and has been unpredictable,” said Walt Cooper, superintendent of Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 and head of the association.

Superintendents are taking what Gov. Jared Polis has said “at his word,” Cooper said, which is that the governor expects students to be back in school in August.

Schools in the Pikes Peak region closed March 13 and didn’t reopen for the remainder of the spring semester due to the coronavirus pandemic.

JULY 26, 2020 BACK TO SCHOOL

Guide 5

WIDEFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT 3 P R I D E . T R A D I T I O N . I N N O VAT I O N .

THE 2020 HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS FALL SEASON what it looks like now

By Lindsey Smith

STEM Teaching students the traditional knowledge of science and math along with technology and engineering through robotics, coding, cybersecurity and biomedical science D3 My Way We offer a solid online curriculum that gives families a choice in education K-12 Music & Art Our award-winning music program is offered to all our students with classes like: orchestra, band, and music

Trades Program Students can learn construction, manufacturing, and welding skills at our Manufacturing Industry Learning Lab (MiLL) Gifted & Talented Students who demonstrate outstanding ability or potential are helped to make the most of their unique gifts and capabilities

wsd3.org (719) 391-3000

The high school sports season may look extremely different in Colorado and across the nation this fall as state associations scramble to provide safe alternatives to continue athletics amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Colorado’s fall sports which may be affected by a delay or cancellation include cross country, field hockey, football, boys’ golf, gymnastics, boys’ soccer, softball, spirit, boys’ tennis, unified bowling and girls’ volleyball.

CHSAA submitted its plan for a safe return to athletics to state health officials and was still waiting for approval at press time.

"Our office supports and respects the time taken at the state level to evaluate our proposed options for resuming athletics and activities for the 2020-2021 school year,” Blanford-Green said on July 16. “Their timeline is our timeline, and we will be ready to play, with planned modifications, once approved.”

At press time the Colorado High School Activities Association had not released its plan to resume athletics, but officials have announced it would like to begin the fall season as scheduled, adding that state health guidelines will dictate how and when the season will play out.

Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 is committed to providing a quality education and options for all students and families. We create opportunities for individualized learning, personal growth and community involvement. We provide a device for every student, investing in a 1:1 student-computer ratio to support 21st century learning. Our students have access to quality athletics programs, music, arts and a variety of specialized services including: special education, gifted and talented programs, STEM classes, English Language Development Classes, JROTC and our online Virtual Academy.

“The thing about COVID is we don’t have definitive answers right now,” said CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green on July 14.

“We absolutely have plans to move forward with contingencies, but also with descriptions and potentially shutdowns.”

As of July 16, 12 other state high school associations announced delays to its season. New Mexico and Virginia will not play football in the fall, which is considered a “high risk” activity according to the National Federation of State High School Associations.

LIVING IN A PHOTOGENIC STATE, full of photogenic landscapes and people doing photogenic things, can be tough on a photographer.

When every shot (save accidental selfies) seems worthy of postcard treatment, how do you pick a favorite?

The Pine Creek Eagles defeated the Ponderosa Mustangs 55-17 in the quarterfinal round of the Class 4A state playoffs Nov. 23, 2019. Football is among sports deemed higher risk for COVID-19 Huntingtn ad_Layout 1 7/14/20 1:36 PM PageAssociation.

1 infection by the Colorado High School Activities (Isaiah J. Downing, Special to The Gazette)

The path to success looks different for each student.

Test Prep

Tutoring

Get Educational Help Now! Math, Reading, Study Skills, Science & more!

Enter your photo now at

gazette.com/photocontest

In Center or Online

CALL TODAY

719-591-9800 * Save 100 Off Academic Evaluation • Use Promo Code: BACKTOSCHOOL $

1430 Kelly Johnson Blvd. • Col. Sprgs. 80920 Presented by Mike’s Camera and The Gazette

6 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 26, 2020

Learn more about your educational choices at: FFC8.org

FOR BETTER GRADES AND TEST SCORES

Send us your best

Quintessential COLORADO photo.

Preparing today’s youth for tomorrow’s responsibilities

Lewis‐Palmer School District 38 provides innovative and relevant programming for all students at all grade levels.

In‐person and online options available. www.lewispalmer.org/BacktoSchool2020 www.lewispalmer.org/enroll

(Across from Chapel Hills Mall)

WWW.HuntingtonHelps.com

One Team

1 Our Team

D38

JULY 26, 2020 BACK TO SCHOOL

Guide 7

WIDEFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT 3 P R I D E . T R A D I T I O N . I N N O VAT I O N .

THE 2020 HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS FALL SEASON what it looks like now

By Lindsey Smith

STEM Teaching students the traditional knowledge of science and math along with technology and engineering through robotics, coding, cybersecurity and biomedical science D3 My Way We offer a solid online curriculum that gives families a choice in education K-12 Music & Art Our award-winning music program is offered to all our students with classes like: orchestra, band, and music

Trades Program Students can learn construction, manufacturing, and welding skills at our Manufacturing Industry Learning Lab (MiLL) Gifted & Talented Students who demonstrate outstanding ability or potential are helped to make the most of their unique gifts and capabilities

wsd3.org (719) 391-3000

The high school sports season may look extremely different in Colorado and across the nation this fall as state associations scramble to provide safe alternatives to continue athletics amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Colorado’s fall sports which may be affected by a delay or cancellation include cross country, field hockey, football, boys’ golf, gymnastics, boys’ soccer, softball, spirit, boys’ tennis, unified bowling and girls’ volleyball.

CHSAA submitted its plan for a safe return to athletics to state health officials and was still waiting for approval at press time.

"Our office supports and respects the time taken at the state level to evaluate our proposed options for resuming athletics and activities for the 2020-2021 school year,” Blanford-Green said on July 16. “Their timeline is our timeline, and we will be ready to play, with planned modifications, once approved.”

At press time the Colorado High School Activities Association had not released its plan to resume athletics, but officials have announced it would like to begin the fall season as scheduled, adding that state health guidelines will dictate how and when the season will play out.

Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 is committed to providing a quality education and options for all students and families. We create opportunities for individualized learning, personal growth and community involvement. We provide a device for every student, investing in a 1:1 student-computer ratio to support 21st century learning. Our students have access to quality athletics programs, music, arts and a variety of specialized services including: special education, gifted and talented programs, STEM classes, English Language Development Classes, JROTC and our online Virtual Academy.

“The thing about COVID is we don’t have definitive answers right now,” said CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green on July 14.

“We absolutely have plans to move forward with contingencies, but also with descriptions and potentially shutdowns.”

As of July 16, 12 other state high school associations announced delays to its season. New Mexico and Virginia will not play football in the fall, which is considered a “high risk” activity according to the National Federation of State High School Associations.

LIVING IN A PHOTOGENIC STATE, full of photogenic landscapes and people doing photogenic things, can be tough on a photographer.

When every shot (save accidental selfies) seems worthy of postcard treatment, how do you pick a favorite?

The Pine Creek Eagles defeated the Ponderosa Mustangs 55-17 in the quarterfinal round of the Class 4A state playoffs Nov. 23, 2019. Football is among sports deemed higher risk for COVID-19 Huntingtn ad_Layout 1 7/14/20 1:36 PM PageAssociation.

1 infection by the Colorado High School Activities (Isaiah J. Downing, Special to The Gazette)

The path to success looks different for each student.

Test Prep

Tutoring

Get Educational Help Now! Math, Reading, Study Skills, Science & more!

Enter your photo now at

gazette.com/photocontest

In Center or Online

CALL TODAY

719-591-9800 * Save 100 Off Academic Evaluation • Use Promo Code: BACKTOSCHOOL $

1430 Kelly Johnson Blvd. • Col. Sprgs. 80920 Presented by Mike’s Camera and The Gazette

6 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 26, 2020

Learn more about your educational choices at: FFC8.org

FOR BETTER GRADES AND TEST SCORES

Send us your best

Quintessential COLORADO photo.

Preparing today’s youth for tomorrow’s responsibilities

Lewis‐Palmer School District 38 provides innovative and relevant programming for all students at all grade levels.

In‐person and online options available. www.lewispalmer.org/BacktoSchool2020 www.lewispalmer.org/enroll

(Across from Chapel Hills Mall)

WWW.HuntingtonHelps.com

One Team

1 Our Team

D38

JULY 26, 2020 BACK TO SCHOOL

Guide 7

A PANDEMIC EXPOSED THE CRACKS IN COLORADO’S SCHOOL FUNDING SYSTEM and changed the conversation

By Erica Meltzer and Jason Gonzales Chalkbeat

"The 2020 Colorado legislative session opened with high hopes for increasing teacher pay, strengthening school safety, bolstering student mental health services, and improving funding for higher education and K-12."

THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC CRUSHED THOSE HOPES AND BROUGHT SIGNIFICANT BUDGET IMPACTS THAT NOT ONLY SIDELINED THIS YEAR’S EDUCATION AGENDA BUT REVERSED MUCH OF THE PROGRESS MADE LAST YEAR. AT ONE POINT, BUDGET WRITERS EVEN FLOATED THE IDEA OF DEFUNDING FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN, THE SIGNATURE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE 2019 LEGISLATIVE SESSION. But, through all of the painful decisions, there were victories large and small.

Most significantly, the budget crisis amplified conversations about addressing long-standing challenges that have plagued school finance.

“The COVID crisis put a massive spotlight on the inequities in all the ways we fund schools,” said Leslie Colwell of the Colorado Children’s Campaign, which has lobbied for school finance changes for years. “Given the challenges legislators faced when they returned, this turned out to be a tremendous session, perhaps the most significant in years.”

Next year’s projected $3.3 billion revenue shortfall guided almost every discussion. Lawmakers returned from a two-month coronavirus recess and tabled roughly 300 bills, many because they cost money the state doesn’t have. Lawmakers did pass a host of bills to protect low-income workers and families from the effects of the pandemic, as well as a sweeping police accountability bill that days and nights of protests outside the Capitol made urgent.

Lawmakers cut more than a billion dollars to K-12 and higher education to fill the budget hole. The 2020-21 budget, approved last week, is filled with large tradeoffs, said House Speaker K.C. Becker, a Boulder Democrat.

“No matter what you’re doing … in this world that we’re in right now, you’re going to be taking resources from one area and shifting them to another.

There’s just no getting around that,” she said.

Amid all the cuts, lawmakers preserved funding for kindergarten and existing public preschool slots, as well as protecting programs for student mental health and English language learners. They also took up complicated property tax issues that have made it harder to pay for K-12 education, along with proposals to increase revenue without going to the voters.

The Colorado Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, started the session by pushing a bill to increase teacher and staff pay in cashstrapped districts and calling for Colorado to fully fund its schools by 2022.

The session ended with Colorado withholding almost $1.2 billion from schools when compared to constitutional requirements, a level not seen since the depths of the Great Recession.

“We’re well back from square one, and it is hard to see beyond that, knowing what that means for our students,” said union President Amie Baca-Oehlert.

She was heartened to see lawmakers looking for ways to find new revenue, including through tax code changes.

“This crisis exposed more broadly the problems and challenges with our structure,” she said. “It allowed us to have those conversations that we have been having all along, but in a more urgent way.”

Luke Ragland of the conservative education advocacy group Ready Colorado said he was disappointed that lawmakers chose across-the-board cuts rather than more targeted cuts that would shift more money to small rural districts and those that serve more students in poverty. He also lamented that the school finance act contains a property tax change that is likely to end up in court.

But he agreed that the budget crisis has changed the conversation and that the next session could see bigger changes in a school funding system that doesn’t address student needs.

“Are we going to make cuts that protect students or protect districts?” he asked. “That is going to be the fundamental question.”

And he predicted that a Republican education agenda focused on parent choice that didn’t make progress this year will become more urgent next year, as parents try to find a good education amid a checkerboard of in-person, online, and hybrid models.

“I promise you right now that wealthy families will move to find the opportunities they need, whether that’s in person or a higher quality online experience,” he said. “Access for open enrollment becomes incredibly important because the stakes have been raised for families.”

While some of the proposed solutions didn’t get bipartisan support, Democratic lawmakers argued the proposals lay the groundwork for shoring up school funding in future years.

Becker, who is barred by term limits from running again, acknowledged that some of the solutions didn’t draw much Republican support. She said tough decisions needed to be made and likely will need to be made next year by those who succeed her.

“If folks are frustrated with [the changes], I would invite folks to participate in discussions to figure it out because Colorado is unique in its challenges,” Becker said.

K-12 education takes up 36% of Colorado’s general fund, so there was no way for schools to escape cuts when budget writers faced a 25% reduction in revenue. The school finance act cuts average per-pupil spending about 5%, a decrease to about $8,000. Many school districts are planning pay freezes, furloughs, and staff cuts. Lawmakers also cut tens of millions to grant programs that fund school construction, pay for social workers in schools, and support programs to reduce the dropout rate.

Gov. Jared Polis provided some relief to schools in the form of $510 million in federal relief money, but district officials are concerned it won’t be flexible enough to fill budget holes.

Lawmakers also took up proposals to bring in more revenue. A compromise change to the state’s tax code will bring in $156 million over the next three years. That’s less than backers had hoped, but Polis had signaled he would veto the original version of the bill. In November, voters will be asked to approve a nicotine tax that could provide money for rural schools and a long-awaited preschool expansion.

The legislature declined to recommend a graduated income tax, but citizen groups will keep working to put that measure on the ballot.

Due to the complicated interaction of constitutional provisions and ongoing economic problems, next year’s budget picture could be even worse than this year’s. A proposal to ask voters to take up a property tax change to avoid the erosion of school funding drew bipartisan support.

The school finance act also contained a provision that could allow a future legislature to increase local school district taxes. Republicans condemned the proposal, which is likely to end up in court. If the provision were upheld, it could be a game changer in a state where government spending is constrained by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.

Higher education helps balance the budget Colorado’s public colleges and universities have continuously shouldered the burden of helping balance the state budget during economic downturns.

Not much changed this time.

Lawmakers cut $493 million from statewide higher education, amounting to a 58% cut in state general fund support. Although state money makes up only a small portion of Colorado higher education budgets, the cut would have meant insolvency for some schools. Student tuition contributes most educational revenue and some schools project enrollment declines in the fall.

The state investment is a massive shift from the 2.5% increase Polis wanted for colleges and universities.

Polis did send $450 million in federal coronavirus relief money to schools, amounting to a 5% cut in state money for schools. It’s unclear whether lawmakers will build next year’s budget based on the idea that this was a 5% cut or a 58% cut.

8 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 26, 2020

The state will have less money to fund scholarships and financial aid.

And schools have announced employee layoffs, furloughs, and pay cuts.

Lawmakers also postponed bills that required budgetary expenses, such as emergency assistance grants to students, pilot programs to promote student completion, and an educator loan forgiveness program.

Silver linings for higher ed Lawmakers approved a change to the state’s funding model in the hopes that it will better align money to student outcomes rather than just enrollment.

The change will go into effect in the 2021-22 fiscal year.

Prospective college students will be able to earn school credit for work-related experience starting in the 2023 school year, and lawmakers approved in-state tuition for military families regardless if they are Colorado residents.

The state will also now require the Colorado Department of Higher Education to collect data needed to calculate the return on investment of private, public, and occupational degree programs.

Before the pandemic, lawmakers voted to grant college athletes the right to receive compensation for the use of their name, image, and likeness.

The coronavirus also kickstarted the conversation over whether higher education institutions should use the ACT and SAT for student admittance. State colleges will stop using both when admitting 2021 high school graduates.

Nationally, there is a debate among colleges whether the test is fair to students of color and those from low-income backgrounds.

School safety After last year’s shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch, the legislature convened a special committee to work on school safety issues, including improving coordination among law enforcement, mental health providers, and school systems. In pursuit of bipartisan solutions, the committee steered clear of gun control proposals.

The legislature passed a recommended bill to create a committee to keep working on the issues and another to require schools to treat mental health as an excused absence. But a proposal to revamp the state’s once-groundbreaking hotline, Safe2Tell, was set aside, as was another to give teachers more training on recognizing and responding to mental health concerns.

Immunizations Colorado’s immunization rates are among the lowest in the nation, and public health experts are concerned the state could be vulnerable to outbreaks of a host of preventable diseases as more parents skipped checkups and shots during lockdown. Legislation passed this year makes it slightly harder for parents to opt out of required vaccinations for non-medical reasons.

The bill was one of the most contested of the shortened session, with parents opposed to vaccines chanting for hours outside a committee hearing room.

Previously, parents only had to write a note to the school district.

(Continued on page 11) JULY 26, 2020 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide

9

A PANDEMIC EXPOSED THE CRACKS IN COLORADO’S SCHOOL FUNDING SYSTEM and changed the conversation

By Erica Meltzer and Jason Gonzales Chalkbeat

"The 2020 Colorado legislative session opened with high hopes for increasing teacher pay, strengthening school safety, bolstering student mental health services, and improving funding for higher education and K-12."

THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC CRUSHED THOSE HOPES AND BROUGHT SIGNIFICANT BUDGET IMPACTS THAT NOT ONLY SIDELINED THIS YEAR’S EDUCATION AGENDA BUT REVERSED MUCH OF THE PROGRESS MADE LAST YEAR. AT ONE POINT, BUDGET WRITERS EVEN FLOATED THE IDEA OF DEFUNDING FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN, THE SIGNATURE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE 2019 LEGISLATIVE SESSION. But, through all of the painful decisions, there were victories large and small.

Most significantly, the budget crisis amplified conversations about addressing long-standing challenges that have plagued school finance.

“The COVID crisis put a massive spotlight on the inequities in all the ways we fund schools,” said Leslie Colwell of the Colorado Children’s Campaign, which has lobbied for school finance changes for years. “Given the challenges legislators faced when they returned, this turned out to be a tremendous session, perhaps the most significant in years.”

Next year’s projected $3.3 billion revenue shortfall guided almost every discussion. Lawmakers returned from a two-month coronavirus recess and tabled roughly 300 bills, many because they cost money the state doesn’t have. Lawmakers did pass a host of bills to protect low-income workers and families from the effects of the pandemic, as well as a sweeping police accountability bill that days and nights of protests outside the Capitol made urgent.

Lawmakers cut more than a billion dollars to K-12 and higher education to fill the budget hole. The 2020-21 budget, approved last week, is filled with large tradeoffs, said House Speaker K.C. Becker, a Boulder Democrat.

“No matter what you’re doing … in this world that we’re in right now, you’re going to be taking resources from one area and shifting them to another.

There’s just no getting around that,” she said.

Amid all the cuts, lawmakers preserved funding for kindergarten and existing public preschool slots, as well as protecting programs for student mental health and English language learners. They also took up complicated property tax issues that have made it harder to pay for K-12 education, along with proposals to increase revenue without going to the voters.

The Colorado Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, started the session by pushing a bill to increase teacher and staff pay in cashstrapped districts and calling for Colorado to fully fund its schools by 2022.

The session ended with Colorado withholding almost $1.2 billion from schools when compared to constitutional requirements, a level not seen since the depths of the Great Recession.

“We’re well back from square one, and it is hard to see beyond that, knowing what that means for our students,” said union President Amie Baca-Oehlert.

She was heartened to see lawmakers looking for ways to find new revenue, including through tax code changes.

“This crisis exposed more broadly the problems and challenges with our structure,” she said. “It allowed us to have those conversations that we have been having all along, but in a more urgent way.”

Luke Ragland of the conservative education advocacy group Ready Colorado said he was disappointed that lawmakers chose across-the-board cuts rather than more targeted cuts that would shift more money to small rural districts and those that serve more students in poverty. He also lamented that the school finance act contains a property tax change that is likely to end up in court.

But he agreed that the budget crisis has changed the conversation and that the next session could see bigger changes in a school funding system that doesn’t address student needs.

“Are we going to make cuts that protect students or protect districts?” he asked. “That is going to be the fundamental question.”

And he predicted that a Republican education agenda focused on parent choice that didn’t make progress this year will become more urgent next year, as parents try to find a good education amid a checkerboard of in-person, online, and hybrid models.

“I promise you right now that wealthy families will move to find the opportunities they need, whether that’s in person or a higher quality online experience,” he said. “Access for open enrollment becomes incredibly important because the stakes have been raised for families.”

While some of the proposed solutions didn’t get bipartisan support, Democratic lawmakers argued the proposals lay the groundwork for shoring up school funding in future years.

Becker, who is barred by term limits from running again, acknowledged that some of the solutions didn’t draw much Republican support. She said tough decisions needed to be made and likely will need to be made next year by those who succeed her.

“If folks are frustrated with [the changes], I would invite folks to participate in discussions to figure it out because Colorado is unique in its challenges,” Becker said.

K-12 education takes up 36% of Colorado’s general fund, so there was no way for schools to escape cuts when budget writers faced a 25% reduction in revenue. The school finance act cuts average per-pupil spending about 5%, a decrease to about $8,000. Many school districts are planning pay freezes, furloughs, and staff cuts. Lawmakers also cut tens of millions to grant programs that fund school construction, pay for social workers in schools, and support programs to reduce the dropout rate.

Gov. Jared Polis provided some relief to schools in the form of $510 million in federal relief money, but district officials are concerned it won’t be flexible enough to fill budget holes.

Lawmakers also took up proposals to bring in more revenue. A compromise change to the state’s tax code will bring in $156 million over the next three years. That’s less than backers had hoped, but Polis had signaled he would veto the original version of the bill. In November, voters will be asked to approve a nicotine tax that could provide money for rural schools and a long-awaited preschool expansion.

The legislature declined to recommend a graduated income tax, but citizen groups will keep working to put that measure on the ballot.

Due to the complicated interaction of constitutional provisions and ongoing economic problems, next year’s budget picture could be even worse than this year’s. A proposal to ask voters to take up a property tax change to avoid the erosion of school funding drew bipartisan support.

The school finance act also contained a provision that could allow a future legislature to increase local school district taxes. Republicans condemned the proposal, which is likely to end up in court. If the provision were upheld, it could be a game changer in a state where government spending is constrained by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.

Higher education helps balance the budget Colorado’s public colleges and universities have continuously shouldered the burden of helping balance the state budget during economic downturns.

Not much changed this time.

Lawmakers cut $493 million from statewide higher education, amounting to a 58% cut in state general fund support. Although state money makes up only a small portion of Colorado higher education budgets, the cut would have meant insolvency for some schools. Student tuition contributes most educational revenue and some schools project enrollment declines in the fall.

The state investment is a massive shift from the 2.5% increase Polis wanted for colleges and universities.

Polis did send $450 million in federal coronavirus relief money to schools, amounting to a 5% cut in state money for schools. It’s unclear whether lawmakers will build next year’s budget based on the idea that this was a 5% cut or a 58% cut.

8 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 26, 2020

The state will have less money to fund scholarships and financial aid.

And schools have announced employee layoffs, furloughs, and pay cuts.

Lawmakers also postponed bills that required budgetary expenses, such as emergency assistance grants to students, pilot programs to promote student completion, and an educator loan forgiveness program.

Silver linings for higher ed Lawmakers approved a change to the state’s funding model in the hopes that it will better align money to student outcomes rather than just enrollment.

The change will go into effect in the 2021-22 fiscal year.

Prospective college students will be able to earn school credit for work-related experience starting in the 2023 school year, and lawmakers approved in-state tuition for military families regardless if they are Colorado residents.

The state will also now require the Colorado Department of Higher Education to collect data needed to calculate the return on investment of private, public, and occupational degree programs.

Before the pandemic, lawmakers voted to grant college athletes the right to receive compensation for the use of their name, image, and likeness.

The coronavirus also kickstarted the conversation over whether higher education institutions should use the ACT and SAT for student admittance. State colleges will stop using both when admitting 2021 high school graduates.

Nationally, there is a debate among colleges whether the test is fair to students of color and those from low-income backgrounds.

School safety After last year’s shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch, the legislature convened a special committee to work on school safety issues, including improving coordination among law enforcement, mental health providers, and school systems. In pursuit of bipartisan solutions, the committee steered clear of gun control proposals.

The legislature passed a recommended bill to create a committee to keep working on the issues and another to require schools to treat mental health as an excused absence. But a proposal to revamp the state’s once-groundbreaking hotline, Safe2Tell, was set aside, as was another to give teachers more training on recognizing and responding to mental health concerns.

Immunizations Colorado’s immunization rates are among the lowest in the nation, and public health experts are concerned the state could be vulnerable to outbreaks of a host of preventable diseases as more parents skipped checkups and shots during lockdown. Legislation passed this year makes it slightly harder for parents to opt out of required vaccinations for non-medical reasons.

The bill was one of the most contested of the shortened session, with parents opposed to vaccines chanting for hours outside a committee hearing room.

Previously, parents only had to write a note to the school district.

(Continued on page 11) JULY 26, 2020 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide

9

EL PASO COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT will require all students, staff to wear masks during upcoming school year

By Leslie James

El Paso County School District 49 announced that all students and staff will be required to wear masks during some activities in the building and on buses for the upcoming school year to combat the spread of COVID19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

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719-271-0145 http://www.eastlakehs.net/ 10 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 26, 2020

In order to "provide a safe environment," masks or face coverings will be required when in the hallways, workplace classrooms, offices, buses and all district facilities, officials said in a statement.

Students and staff in grades 1-12 will be required to wear face coverings. The school district will provide students who are unable or choose not to wear a mask with schoolbased E-learning options.

"In the very limited number of cases where our obligation to an individual student requires in-person learning without a mask, we will depend on individualized learning plans or an exemption process to provide consistent, equitable accommodations," the statement reads.

The statue of Charles Leaming Tutt, Jr., wears a protective mask, outside the library on Colorado College that bears his name. CHRISTIAN MURDOCK, THE GAZETTE

Previously, parents only had to write a note to the school district.

(Continued from page 9)

Now they’ll need a doctor’s note or to demonstrate they watched a video about vaccine science before declining immunizations. Schools will also have to release reports to parents detailing immunization rates in the student body.

Teacher workforce Lawmakers passed a bill that combines funding for many existing teacher recruitment and training programs to allow for more flexibility. Some older programs were severely underutilized, while others had more demand than they could meet. The change is meant to ensure money is available for the programs that best meet student needs. The governor’s office tapped federal relief money to save a teacher training program that was set to be defunded.

But new proposals to address the state’s persistent teacher shortage were tabled, as was a bill to study and remove barriers faced by teachers of color, the union-backed teacher pay bill, and a new tax credit for educators who spend their own money on school supplies.

Legislators also made it easier for retired teachers to reenter the classroom while keeping pension benefits, but with COVID-19 raising health concerns, that change may draw fewer educators than otherwise.

Special education Under legislation passed this year, Colorado teachers will need to get more training on working with students with disabilities to renew their licenses.

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This is part of a strategy of using teacher licensure requirements to address educational system inequities. In recent years, the State Board of Education has required all teachers to get training on working with English language learners, and lawmakers required more training on reading instruction for elementary teachers.

Parent advocates faced a setback, though, as a bill aimed at making it easier for parents of students with autism to request outside therapists was tabled.

And to shore up the education budget, lawmakers diverted money from a special fund that offsets the cost of serving students with severe disabilities and medical needs.

Accountability and school governance At the start of the session, some education interest groups were calling for an audit of the accountability system by which the state measures school performance and determines which schools need intervention.

Already controversial, it was tabled during the abbreviated session.

Faced with several months of remote learning this school year and the prospect of hybrid education models and rolling closures in the fall, some groups called for the accountability system to be suspended entirely. Instead, the school finance act calls for a working group to figure out what testing, school ratings, turnaround plans, and teacher evaluation should look like during the strange year to come.

Bills to limit campaign donations in school board races and allow 16-year-olds to vote also failed to advance. But the legislature did approve one governance change that proved to be timely: allowing remote attendance at school board meetings.

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Guide 11

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GETTING RID OF SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS NOT LIKELY TO HAPPEN in Colorado Springs, officials say By Debbie Kelley "Denver's decision to move police out of schools alarms those whose job is creating safer schools", said Susan Payne, a school safety expert who in 1995 became Colorado Springs’ first school resource officer after an incident at Sierra High School.

Higher rates of students of color having contact with sworn police working in Colorado’s largest public school district led the board of Denver Public Schools last week to unanimously vote to phase out school resource officers, known as SROs, law enforcement trained to deal with youth offenders.

“SROs are critical to reducing the school-toprison pipeline,” Payne said. “SROs focus on prevention by intervening at the earliest point and being part of the solution for students who might be on a path to violence.”

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Concern over police working in schools has been exacerbated by the May 25 killing of a black Minnesota man, George Floyd, by a white police officer and the public outcry, protests and calls for change that have followed.

Schools in El Paso County seem unlikely to follow Denver Public Schools’ lead, officials said.

“While that is the decision of school boards, I don’t foresee anything like that at all here, said Lt. James Sokolik, spokesman for the Colorado Springs Police Department, which has 21 officers covering every high school within the city limits. “We have a good relationship with our school districts.”

Three additional resource officers will be assigned to Colorado Springs School District 11 middle schools, under a mill levy override voters passed in 2017.

“We have a really strong partnership with our SROs,” said Shawn Gullixson, president of the D-11 board of education, which has not discussed removing police from school buildings. Neither have Harrison School District 2 in southeast Colorado Springs or School District 49 in Falcon.

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Guide 13

SROs in D-49 include law enforcement and former military who have learned how to specialize in addressing youth behavior, said David Watson, director of safety and security.

“A safe learning environment in D-49 is a top priority, and we will continue to grow our security capabilities in a responsible manner, consistent with trends and best practices,” he said.

Classroom learning in El Paso County schools will look a bit different this fall

Denver Public Schools will phase out all sworn police officers in schools by June 4, 2021, redefine school safety, clarify the role that law enforcement should play and enact a policy ensuring students will no longer be ticketed, arrested, or referred to law enforcement “unless there are no other available alternatives for addressing imminent threats of serious harm.”

Of the Pikes Peak region’s 1,143 contacts between law enforcement and students in the 2018-2019 academic year, 422 white students received a summons, compared with 453 Hispanic students, 133 black students and 98 students of other race or ethnicity.

A total of 36 local students — more white students than minorities — were arrested that school year, according to data from the Colorado Department of Education.

Statewide, of the 6,688 students who had contact with law enforcement in 2018-2019, 52% were white, 37% Hispanic, 10% black and 1% other.

Inequities involving racial backgrounds should be addressed through more robust training, said Payne, who is a trainer for the National Association of School Resource Officers. Efforts to build relationships, shift cultures in schools and develop equitable strategies for handling students offenders have been ongoing for years, she said.

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Sokolik said people sometimes misunderstand what school resource officers do. Law enforcement is just one part of the job, he said.

“There’s a lot more restorative justice put on our kids than criminal justice,” he said. “These resource officers find ways to take care of the issues while keeping them out of the juvenile justice system.”

Resource officers work to keep the school environment safe, can co-teach classes on subjects such as internet safety, and become mentors and role models, Sokolik said.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office has 11 assigned school resource officers who cover 60 unincorporated schools.

“At this time there is no indication that the schools want to discontinue the SRO program,” department spokeswoman Sgt. Deborah Mynatt said in an email.

In addition to helping prevent and responding to school-based crimes, resource officers develop positive relationships with students and often assist with personal issues such as substance abuse, domestic violence, bullying and other life stressors, she said.

They spend a lot of time training to become part of the school team and understand school violence, early indicators and root causes,” she said.

Resource officers also work as liaisons between police departments and schools. Without that, having officers respond to school incidents who aren’t familiar with or instructed on how to deal with students can defeat the purpose of those who oppose SROs in schools, Payne said.

“SROs become experts in the subject matter of adolescents and are well equipped to know how to handle situations at schools,” she said. “They work with suicide prevention and violence prevention, and have saved so many lives.

Now with the pandemic, their role is even more important to reopening safely."

Palmer School Resource Officer B.P. Corrado stands in the hallway during classes Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette

“The relationship built with students enable the SROs to identify at-risk students and to help them in a variety of ways,” Mynatt said.

Private schools challenge Colorado's disbursement of pandemic relief funds in federal complaint. School resource officers are vital to schools, said Payne, who founded the Safe2Tell tip line and now works as director of safety and security for Cheyenne Mountain School District 12.“

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Guide 15

SROs in D-49 include law enforcement and former military who have learned how to specialize in addressing youth behavior, said David Watson, director of safety and security.

“A safe learning environment in D-49 is a top priority, and we will continue to grow our security capabilities in a responsible manner, consistent with trends and best practices,” he said.

Classroom learning in El Paso County schools will look a bit different this fall

Denver Public Schools will phase out all sworn police officers in schools by June 4, 2021, redefine school safety, clarify the role that law enforcement should play and enact a policy ensuring students will no longer be ticketed, arrested, or referred to law enforcement “unless there are no other available alternatives for addressing imminent threats of serious harm.”

Of the Pikes Peak region’s 1,143 contacts between law enforcement and students in the 2018-2019 academic year, 422 white students received a summons, compared with 453 Hispanic students, 133 black students and 98 students of other race or ethnicity.

A total of 36 local students — more white students than minorities — were arrested that school year, according to data from the Colorado Department of Education.

Statewide, of the 6,688 students who had contact with law enforcement in 2018-2019, 52% were white, 37% Hispanic, 10% black and 1% other.

Inequities involving racial backgrounds should be addressed through more robust training, said Payne, who is a trainer for the National Association of School Resource Officers. Efforts to build relationships, shift cultures in schools and develop equitable strategies for handling students offenders have been ongoing for years, she said.

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All styles of dance for ages 18 months to adults

We will be running a Fall Registration special Save 15% on your full year of tuition until July 31st.

3958 North Academy Boulevard, Suite 106 719-325-6234 • kdafrontoffice@gmail.com 14 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 26, 2020

Sokolik said people sometimes misunderstand what school resource officers do. Law enforcement is just one part of the job, he said.

“There’s a lot more restorative justice put on our kids than criminal justice,” he said. “These resource officers find ways to take care of the issues while keeping them out of the juvenile justice system.”

Resource officers work to keep the school environment safe, can co-teach classes on subjects such as internet safety, and become mentors and role models, Sokolik said.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office has 11 assigned school resource officers who cover 60 unincorporated schools.

“At this time there is no indication that the schools want to discontinue the SRO program,” department spokeswoman Sgt. Deborah Mynatt said in an email.

In addition to helping prevent and responding to school-based crimes, resource officers develop positive relationships with students and often assist with personal issues such as substance abuse, domestic violence, bullying and other life stressors, she said.

They spend a lot of time training to become part of the school team and understand school violence, early indicators and root causes,” she said.

Resource officers also work as liaisons between police departments and schools. Without that, having officers respond to school incidents who aren’t familiar with or instructed on how to deal with students can defeat the purpose of those who oppose SROs in schools, Payne said.

“SROs become experts in the subject matter of adolescents and are well equipped to know how to handle situations at schools,” she said. “They work with suicide prevention and violence prevention, and have saved so many lives.

Now with the pandemic, their role is even more important to reopening safely."

Palmer School Resource Officer B.P. Corrado stands in the hallway during classes Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette

“The relationship built with students enable the SROs to identify at-risk students and to help them in a variety of ways,” Mynatt said.

Private schools challenge Colorado's disbursement of pandemic relief funds in federal complaint. School resource officers are vital to schools, said Payne, who founded the Safe2Tell tip line and now works as director of safety and security for Cheyenne Mountain School District 12.“

St. Mary’s High School

The aCademy oF Children’s TheaTre

College-prep academics, faith-filled community, championship athletics & activities

Building Character, Confidence and Creativity

Why St. Marys?

St. Mary’s is, by far, the most affordable of the Top 25 private high schools in Colorado.

Fall Classes

100% of graduates in the last 3

Ages 4-High School

years accepted to college

Acting, Musical Theatre, Broadway Combo, Voice, Dance, Stage Combat, Improvisation, Shakespeare & More!

$400,000 in tuition assistance given annually

$13 million earned in college

merit scholarships by the 67 graduates of the class of 2020

Classes Start August 17 Register Today!

For more information, call 719.282.9101 or visit our website at www.ACTcolorado.net

Click on ore at Learn M s.org smpirate

ver!

Now more than e

FAITHfully providing KNOWLEDGE to our COMMUNITY.

NOW ENROLLING K-8TH GRADE

Mountain Song Community School is a public Waldorf charter school dedicated to providing a developmentally appropriate and holistic education that nurtures the body, mind, and heart of every child. We believe in preserving childhood and feeding children’s natural curiosity through storytelling and hands-on experiential learning. We offer a rich, integrative, and multi-sensory learning environment infused with arts and music.

Our practical and age-specific curriculum encourages our students to be kind, well-rounded, and academically successful.

Some of our unique educational offerings include: • Agricultural Arts • Handwork • Spanish • Rigorous Academics • Music • Integrated Curriculum • Arts-Integration

Enroll your child today!

www.mountainsongschool.com/enrollment or call us at 719-203-6364 2904 WEST KIOWA ST • COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. 80904 JULY 26, 2020 BACK TO SCHOOL

Guide 15

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Now enrolling for the 2020-2021 school year.

Colorado Springs Charter Academy does notFocus discriminate on the Focus onbasis character on character of disability, race, national origin, sex or other protected classifications in Sports andclubs student clubs Sports and student enrollment or admissions.

Now enrolling for the 2020-2021 school year.

Musical theater, Musical theater, choir, andchoir, band and band * Colorado Springs Charter Academy’s chosen curriculum exceeds the Common Core content standards.

Colorado Springs Charter Academy opposes assessments and content standards that have little or no input at the state or local level and impinge upon the innovativeDegree solutions provided by charter schools and localcoloradosprings.coloradoearlycolleges.org school districts.

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