Session Slowly Gaining Steam
We're two weeks into the 2014 legislative session, and the pace at the Capitol is beginning to pick up. The following is a brief rundown of some of the K-12 education issues currently in motion.
Transparency and ADM in the Spotlight
Soon after Governor Hickenlooper highlighted budget transparency and average daily membership (ADM) as two of his main education priorities during his annual State of the State address, two Republican-sponsored bills on these very topics emerged in the House. While it remains to be seen if, in a Democratic-controlled legislature, these are the proposals that will ultimately gain traction, here's a brief synopsis of each along with a link to the full bill text:
House Bill 14-1139 - Would convert the current
October 1st attendance count system to a method called average daily membership (ADM), which essentially bases funding off a rolling enrollment average of the previous five quarters as opposed to a single count day (click
here for a short League summary of the bill's key provisions).
House Bill 14-1145 - Would require the Colorado Department of Education to create a website that provides detailed revenue and spending information about school districts.
The League's Policy & Advocacy Team will be monitoring these issues closely for their potential impact on charter schools.
Revolving Loan and Capital Construction Bills Introduced
Two bills of particular interest to charter schools also surfaced this past week. The first, Senate Bill 14-086, would create the Charter School Capital Construction Revolving Loan Program as an additional means of facilities financing for charter schools in their first four years of existence. We know how difficult it can be for new schools to access the facilities capital they need to get started, so we've been working closely with the sponsors of this bill and several of our education partners to craft a program that can help respond to this need. Click here for a one-page summary created by the League.
Additionally, House Bill 14-1147 would significantly increase the annual appropriation to the Charter School Capital Construction Fund from its current $7 million level. This would represent a sizable influx of facilities funds for the vast majority of charter schools across the state. As always, the League is actively advocating for growing the Charter School Capital Construction Fund. This is an evolving issue and one which we will be sure to keep you updated on as events around it unfold.
Complete Education Bill Rundown
While we work to get our own, more charter-specific bill tracker up and running, our friends at Chalkbeat Colorado (formerly EdNews Colorado) have re-launched their user-friendly Education Bill Tracker. Be sure to check it out and let us know if you have questions or concerns about any of the specific bills that have been introduced thus far.
Communicating with Your Legislator
If you haven't already done so, there's no time like the present to reach out to your state legislators to let them know about the great work being done at your charter school. In fact, we've been meeting with a number of legislators over the past couple of months, and many have expressed interest in touring a charter school in their district. Follow this link for an easy-to-use tool to help identify your elected officials, and then contact them today to set up a meeting or invite them to your school.
And in case you're interested, the following is a list of the legislators that comprise the House and Senate Education Committees for the 2014 session:
| House Education Committee | Senate Education Committee |
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Video: Information for Legislators about Charter Schools
The League is excited to unveil a new video about charter schools that we have been sharing with Colorado elected officials. Click below to watch this short video that explains why charter schools are so important. The video includes comments of support for charters from national and state legislators.
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| Video: For Legislators - An Introduction to Charter Schools |
