The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) has extensive information necessary to understand the processes used to allot funds to Colorado school districts. The Public School Finance page also provides links to a statewide summary of public education funding, district-by-district data, and a downloadable worksheet that can be used to calculate individual district funding.

Colorado School Accountability Reports (SARs) are available from CDE.  On December 3, 2003 CDE released the 2003 SAR ratings [XLS 349KB] for academic performance  (Excellent, High, Average, Low, and Unsatisfactory) and academic improvement (Significant Improvement, Improvement, Stable, Decline, and Significant Decline).  Every school got an SAR academic performance rating that year.  Every school also got an SAR academic improvement rating that year based on a score that includes only the tests administered in both the current and previous years.  On December 8, 2004 CDE released the 2004 SAR ratings [XLS 373KB] for academic performance but not for improvement.  State Board of Education members presented the "School Accountability Reports: A Five-Year Review of Progress (2000 - 2005)" evaluation [PDF 1250KB] at the February 16, 2005 joint meeting [PDF 43KB] of the House Education Committee and Senate Education Committee.  More information is on the "CO SAR Ratings" page.

CDE describes a wide variety of educational options in Colorado as Schools of Choice:

• Charter Schools
• Institute Charter Schools
• Home School
• Magnet/Focus/Option Schools
• Open Enrollment
• Opportunity Contract Pilot Program ("vouchers")
• Private Schools
• School Program
• School Within a School

CDE also offers an excellent assortment of information resources for charter schools, including:

• Colorado Charter Schools Act (§22-30.5 C.R.S.)
• FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
• Colorado Charter Schools List
• Pupil Membership
• School Accountability Reports
• Notable Accomplishments of Colorado's Charter Schools
• Colorado Charter School Institute
• Colorado Charter Schools Best Practices Guidebook
• Information Packet for People Writing a Charter Application
• Guidebook for Starting a Charter School
• 2004 Legislative Summary
• Waivers
• Capital Construction
• Applying Federal Civil Rights Laws to Public Charter Schools
• Consolidated Federal Programs: Questions and Answers
• 2003 Revised Administrative Policy on Charter Schools
• Charter Schools and Finance Issues FAQ
• Charter School Grants
• Charter Schools and Special Education
• CDE Evaluation of Charter Schools
• CDE Capital Finance Study (2000)
• CDE Examination of the Effect of House Bill 99-1113 on Charter School Funding (2004)
• National Publications
• Links to Related Websites

Last modified: 06/19/2006

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