CO Court of Appeals Overturns Ruling on Douglas County Choice Scholarship Program

Good news for students in Colorado!

The Colorado Court of Appeals ruled to overturn a lower court ruling that blocked the Douglas County Choice Scholarship Program.

According to the ruling, the program, which offers scholarships to students residing in the Douglas County School District, does not violate the state Constitution. 

“The requirement that the General Assembly create a thorough and uniform system of free public education does not preclude a local school district from providing educational opportunities in addition to and different from the thorough and uniform system” the appeals court ruled.

According to the 2013 School Choice Yearbook, the program, which was enacted in 2011, is capped at 500 students.  To receive a scholarship, students must live in the Douglas County School District and have attended a Douglas County School District school for at least one year.

- American Federation for Children | Alliance for School Choice, KMS

An Update from the Courts

A number of opponents of educational choice have taken to the courts to litigate the future of the programs benefiting low-income families across the country. Here's an update on where things stand nationwide:

Indiana: On Wednesday, the Indiana Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the Choice Scholarship Program that was enacted into law in 2012.  Twelve plaintiffs, including the newly-elected state superintendent of public education, have sued the state claiming the program in unconstitutional.  Marion Superior Judge Michael Keele rejected this claim earlier this year and ruled that the program is constitutional.  In the 2012-13 school year, more than 9,000 students are using a Choice Scholarship to attend the school of their parents’ choice. 

Louisiana: After the Louisiana state legislature—with strong bipartisan support—passed the statewide expansion of the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program statewide, the Louisiana Association of Educator sued to prevent the program from going forward. After a delay, the court date on the program is scheduled for November 28.

Oklahoma: In June, a Tulsa judge ruled the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship for Students with Disabilities Program unconstitutional and there is no word on when the appeal will be heard, though Representative Jason Nelson predicts the program will be heard early next year.  In the 2012-13 school year, 188 students are participating in the program and three new schools are accepting voucher students.

Douglas County, Colorado: The Colorado State Court of Appeals is hearing oral arguments today on the constitutionality of the Douglas County Choice Scholarship Program.  The lower court put an injunction on the program from moving forward after the program was created for students living in the Douglas County School District.

- American Federation for Children | Alliance for School Choice, MSG

One-Fifth of America's Chief Executives Convene for NBC Education Summit

There were many opinions under one tent (literally) at this week's Education Nation Summit, the second annual event hosted in New York City on Monday and Tuesday by the folks at NBC. It sometimes made for a few odd exchanges—like, for example, when reform-minded Michelle Rhee shared the stage with AFT President Randi Weingarten. Reason TV captured a portion of that conversation, as well as a few other highlights from the summit, in the video below:

Colorado's Charter Collaboration

So much of the talk in Colorado lately has centered on the debate surrounding vouchers in the Denver suburb of Douglas County that many of the strong academic gains that have taken place elsewhere across the Centennial State have been overlooked.

Excluding Douglas County, Colorado isn't home to any school voucher or scholarship tax credit programs, but the state has one of the most robust networks of high-achieving charter schools in the nation.

And while the rhetoric regarding the DougCo program can often get heated, many of the teachers and administrators out west have developed a civil, effective, and mutually-beneficial way of collaborating.

But it's not just charter schools working with private schools: charters in Denver are strong in large part because of the state's traditional public schools. Here's an excerpt from a local news story on the success of West Denver Prep Charter School in the context of the local district (emphasis ours):

Gibbons says in other urban areas across the country, charter schools and district schools are often at odds.

"A great deal of energy is spent, sort of the us-versus-them, kind of back-and-forth conflict around charter schools and traditional schools," Gibbons said.

Denver Public Schools Superintendent Tom Boasberg says district leaders don't want to waste a lot of time on what he calls "politics."

"Whether they are district-run schools or charter schools, we want all of our schools to be great schools in our neighborhood serving all the kids," Boasberg said. 

Just think of all the things that could be accomplished if both sides were willing to put politics aside and instead work to provide great schools for all of our kids. And this isn't just some pie-in-the-sky flowery wish as to what can happen. The video below explains how collaboration and achievement go hand in hand.