DougCo Collective

Although DCSD is not specifically called out in this piece, it has been and continues to be a testing ground for the public school privatization movement. The GOP-endorsed slate ("Common Sense") is no exception.

"You should seek it out. You should find out exactly who is running in your school district this November, whether you have school-aged children or not. Then you should learn what they believe in, what changes they want to make in the district, and then, when your ballot arrives in the mail, you should vote for the ones you find yourself most aligned with. Because the schools aren’t just about the schools, they’re about the culture. These races are important. These districts are important. That’s why the Colorado Republican Party is opening a series of regional offices to boost conservative efforts to capture them this fall. It’s why anonymous billionaires keep spending millions of dollars on small, local races."

DAVIS: School Board Races are Kicking Off. These are Some Districts to Watch. School board elections are gearing-up around the country right now, set to take center stage on an off-off-year ballot . Here in Colorado, there will be no statewide races sucking...

This also underlines the impact of board agenda items. The DCSD BoE meets to set the agenda for the next board meeting (typically two days after the prior meeting). The schedule is posted in the district website, and anyone can request a link to listen in. They are meeting today at 10:30, and you can ask for a link by emailing the board secretary at [email protected].

DougCo board votes to require parent permission for students to participate in state youth health survey Opponents say the move will cause a dramatic loss of important data about the health and well-being of Colorado’s youth.

Tell all your awesome teacher friends!🌻🌺🌸

***Update: Temporarily out of stock, will restock on Monday afternoon!*** Teachers, come in 09/05-09/11 for a free quart-sized mum (1.25-1.5pt) as our show of appreciation for everything you do!

*No purchase necessary, while supplies last. Limit one per teacher. Must present current school badge to receive free mum.

See you soon! 🍎

Join Great Education Colorado at the Every Student Welcome Network Summit on Sept. 12. Meet with parents, advocates, educators, and students who believe in public education. Explore new strategies and best practices to advocate for welcoming schools and the resources, conditions and educational settings that students and teachers need to thrive.

Great Ed Action Summit: Creating Welcoming Schools

Important update for all drivers…

Colorado has a new rule about what to do near a stopped school bus Opposing traffic can no longer just drive on by.

A quick and informative overview of the current DCSD Board of Education candidates.

Seven Candidates Have Declared for Douglas County School Board Deadline To File Petitions Is August 29th; One Candidate In District E

We are keeping a close eye on another project being fast-tracked by the Douglas County Commissioners because this one could directly impact DCSD.

They are pushing a plan for the 500-acre Zebulon Sports Complex that could use Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to divert future property tax revenue away from DCSD and into developer subsidies for up to 30 years.

That means more students in Sterling Ranch, but less funding for the schools that serve them.

This isn’t just bad policy; it’s a threat to public education. Our kids deserve better.

Curveball: Zebulon Requires Huge Public Debt Douglas County Schools expected to lose tax revenue on Sterling Ranch sports complex

Get to know Tony!

Get to Know Tony Ryan!

Tony is a proud graduate of Douglas County schools — from Larkspur Elementary to Castle View High. Now he’s running for the DCSD School Board! With deep community roots and a strong commitment to public education, Tony is ready to serve.

💙 Donate: tonyryan4dcsd.com/donate
🙌 Volunteer: tonyryan4dcsd.com/volunteer

The federal government's withholding $76M in federal education funding from Colorado puts programs for immigrant students, English learners, after-school services, and even teacher jobs at risk.

Districts now face the possibility of slashing critical supports just as needs are growing. Why? Because these funds don’t align with a political agenda that vilifies public education and marginalized students.

Meanwhile, Initiative 22 on the November ballot threatens to further negatively impact public education in Colorado by eroding resources across new, redundant bureaucracies under the guise of “parent choice.”

This is not isolated. It’s part of a coordinated attack on public schools – locally and nationally – that punishes kids and educators while pushing privatization and division.

Trump withholding $76M from Colorado puts immigrant student support at risk | Rocky Mountain PBS Some of the withheld funding is earmarked to support immigrant students, English language learners, and students whose parents are migrant farmworkers.

Data released by the Colorado Department of Education shows the impact of the federal administration’s cuts by school district, with DCSD showing up as red on the heat map for dollars impacted.

These cuts, combined with those slashed earlier this year by the state put even more stress on our public education system. Even in a wealthy county like ours, the struggle to maintain funding long-term in this climate is very real.

https://www.cde.state.co.us/2025-2026_school_year_funding_impact

Juneteenth reminds us that freedom delayed is freedom denied.

It took more than two years for news of emancipation to reach enslaved people in Texas — a delay rooted in power and oppression.

That’s why teaching accurate history matters. Even when it’s ugly. Especially then.

Truth is how we honor the past — and build a more just future.

We blogged about this a few months ago (link in comments) and would like to point out, as noted in this letter to the editor, that the political posturing by local GOP operatives continues to impact public education in Douglas County.

Letter: Charter plan doesn't measure up - Douglas County News Press On December 10, 2024, the “Kids First” majority members of the Douglas County School Board voted to release a proposed classical charter school, John Adams Academy (JAA), to the Colorado Charter School Institute (CSI) rather than consider the application itself. The effect of this action shifts ...