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Charter Schools in colorado
Charter schools in Colorado are tuition-free public schools and operate with greater flexibility than traditional public schools, allowing them to offer specialized curricula. Windsor Charter Academy is authorized by the Weld RE-4 School District and offers Core Knowledge Curriculum to elementary and middle school students. At the high school level, students benefit from concurrent enrollment opportunities through our partnership with Aims Community College, gaining access to college-level coursework and an opportunity to earn an associate degree while in high school.
Facts About Charter Schools
How are charter schools the same as traditional public schools?
Charter schools:
Are tuition-free public schools open to all students.
Are publicly funded.
Are not private schools.
Use non-discriminatory enrollment practices.
Have no test-in requirements to enroll.
Are not religiously affiliated.
Are held accountable for student achievement in the same ways as traditional public schools. Students are required to take state assessments, including CMAS and PSAT/SAT.
Are subject to the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
How do charter schools differ from traditional public schools?
Charter schools operate under a charter (or contract) between the charter school and its authorizing body. The Weld RE-4 School District authorizes Windsor Charter Academy.
Charter schools are semi-autonomous public schools of choice. Students will not be automatically assigned to a charter school based on their place of residence. Charter schools have a defined enrollment policy, and parents must submit an application.
In general, charter schools have more flexibility than traditional public schools regarding curriculum, fiscal management, and overall school operations. They have their own governing boards and may offer an education program that is more innovative than traditional public schools.
How does Windsor Charter Academy operate differently from traditional public schools?
At Windsor Charter Academy, we:
Elect our own Board of Directors.
Establish our own vision, mission, and strategic plan.
Establish our own daily schedule and yearly calendar.
Teach Core Knowledge Curriculum to elementary and middle school students.
Offer concurrent enrollment courses to high school students. Students have the opportunity to earn an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from Aims Community College without leaving our high school campus.
Require uniforms at our elementary and middle schools, and implement a dress code at our high school.
Spend our financial resources in ways that support our unique programs.
What other significant differences can I expect as a parent of Windsor Charter Academy?
Small Class Sizes: Our elementary school class sizes are capped at 26 students and are not increased due to local population increases. Our middle and high schools also have capped enrollment for each school.
Parent Involvement: Each family is required to volunteer 35 hours per year.
Innovative Transportation Options: School buses are not provided for transportation. Parents at Windsor Charter Academy have the opportunity to transport their children to and from school, participate in our active carpooling program, or take advantage of our before and after-school programs.
How does Windsor Charter Academy work with the Weld RE-4 School District?
Windsor Charter Academy has a long-standing, positive partnership with Weld RE-4, our authorizing school district. Weld RE-4 supports school choice and has been an advocate for Windsor Charter Academy since its inception 20 years ago. Strong relationships between charter schools and authorizing districts are rare. Windsor Charter Academy’s strong district-charter partnership serves as a successful model for other schools and districts in Colorado!
Where can I learn more about charter schools?
Charter School Funding
Colorado charter schools are public schools; they are funded with state taxpayer dollars in the form of Per-Pupil Operating Revenue (PPR). Student funding follows those who choose to attend charter schools; therefore, all funding stays in the public education system. Charter schools do not take away funding from the public school system.
Funding for facilities, security, and other operational expenses for charter schools is often less than what traditional public schools receive. Fundraising is necessary to help charter schools bridge the funding gap for these expenses.
School districts finance their facilities through property taxes, mill levies, and local bond issues. Charter schools generally do not receive a proportionate share of these funds. Windsor Charter Academy’s inclusion in the Weld RE-4 bond initiatives is a testament to our long-standing, positive partnership with the Weld RE-4 School District.
Colorado charter schools follow the Public School Financial Transparency Act, just like every school district in the state, requiring them to regularly post detailed financial information online for public access.
Charter Schools in Colorado
Colorado is a pioneer in charter school legislation. Currently, Colorado’s charter school law ranks #2 in the nation.
Colorado has the second-highest percentage of charter public school students in the country, relative to total state enrollment. There are over 262 charter schools in Colorado, serving more than 136,000 students.
Charter school enrollment in Colorado accounts for 15.5% of the state's total public school enrollment. There are more students enrolled in Colorado charter public schools than in any single district in the state.
Charter schools serve a broad range of students, including: low-income students, racial and ethnic students of color, and students with disabilities or other special needs.
Colorado charter schools are geographically dispersed throughout the state and serve urban, suburban, and rural communities.
Charter school students generally outperform state averages in all academic achievement categories.