This CACSA Update includes two items:
1. Needs inventory data on charter schools in Colorado shows some charter schools coping better than others
CACSA’s analysis of the CEI/CDE survey on the needs of charter schools during the pandemic can be found in the resource library. The analysis demonstrates that even when the average charter school is reporting that a particular challenge is under control, there are some charter schools that are still struggling with the issue.
Whether it is Wi-Fi enabled devices, access to the internet, or serving special populations; while many charter schools report relatively few challenges, a substantial number of charter schools report more severe problems. Authorizers should stay in touch with charter school leaders and try to get a candid assessment of the challenges that schools face. This type of data is inappropriate for high-stakes accountability, but it can be invaluable in building a partnership between the authorizer and the school that will help charters better serve all students during the crisis and next fall. Read the analysis for more details on this issue.
2. CDE Requesting Input on Use of Federal Emergency Funding
You should have already received the update from Bill Kottenstette with information on the CARES Act Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSERF). You can read more about it here. Commissioner Anthes explained in her recent announcement that CDE will soon solicit input on the process the state should use to allocate the money and how a proportion of it will be used at the state level. Districts should be receiving a survey link on this item soon. Authorizers should carefully consider how they include charter schools in this allocation and both solicit input from charters and communicate with them about the district’s plans during this process.
It is worth noting that in the recent challenges to exclusive chartering authority (ECA) in Littleton Public Schools and Pueblo 60 the complaints included criticism that districts had not communicated clearly about how federal funds or facilities would be distributed, or that districts had not distributed resources fairly. The LPS challenge was rejected by the State Board of Education and the Pueblo 60 case is still pending. In order to avoid future complaints, districts may want to reach out to charter schools during this process and begin communicating about how ESSERF funds could be allocated locally.
If you have any questions or comments, or to add someone to this list or have your name removed, reach me by phone at 720-635-8329, or via email at alex.medler@coauthorizers.org.