Legislative Advocacy
Advocacy for Colorado's Charter Schools
"Focused on Moving Minds Forward at the Source of Change"
Through grassroots mobilization and active involvement with community members, policy leaders, and legal advocates, the Colorado League of Charter Schools works to shape public policy and opinion that favors charter school quality and growth.
For more information, please contact Sean Bradley sbradley@coloradoleague.org at 303-989-5356, ext. 105 or Donnell Rosenberg drosenberg@coloradoleague.org at 303-989-5356, ext. 115.
Advocacy
The League works diligently with the Colorado legislature and state governmental agencies to:
- Enact and support policies that increase institutional capacity, strengthen school autonomy, and improve performance incentives for charter schools.
- Improve the accuracy, accessibility and quality of available information about charter schools.
- Ensure that charters receive funding equal to traditional public schools for facilities and other long-term needs.
Each Fall, the League releases an agenda of legislative priorities for the year that are established with assistance from the League’s Governmental Affairs Committee and Board of Directors. The League asks its member schools to vote on priorities. Based on the results, the League works to put the agenda into action.
Communications and Public Relations
Through its communications and public relations efforts, the League:
- Provides its members with timely updates about priority legislation affecting charters schools and education bills being monitored.
- Organizes and mobilizes a grassroots advocacy network that includes a broad base of charter school supporters, such as parents and teachers.
- Educates the public about the benefits of charter schools and their role in the public education system.
Colorado Charter Advocacy Network
The League created the Colorado Charter Advocacy Network (Colorado CAN), a grassroots initiative made up of thousands of charter school supporters such as parents, teachers, administrators and board members. Colorado CAN provides community members the tools needed to easily contact elected officials asking them to support charter schools in Colorado and across the United States.
Colorado CAN provides news, legislative updates and alerts about political issues impacting charter schools.
As an added incentive, thanks to a special arrangement between the League and Staples®, members of Colorado CAN will receive discounted pricing from Staples.com® on school supplies and other products, with an average savings of 55% off retail pricing.
Click here to sign up today.
Resources and Links:
- 2010 Legislative Agenda
- Charter News from the Capitol | Sign Up to Receive Legislative Updates
- Colorado Charter Advocacy Network
- Facilities 2010 Task Force
- Find Your School's Elected Official
- Inviting an Elected Official to Your School
- Guide to Public Policy Advocacy Activities
- How a Bill Becomes a Colorado Law
- Tips for Testifying in Legislative Committee Hearings
- The Role of the Joint Budget Committee
- Glossary of Legislative Terms