Author: Eric Young
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Colorado’s ‘first public Christian school’ sues state, alleges discrimination
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Riverstone Academy, a public elementary school that opened last fall in Pueblo as a tuition-free option with Christian-based instruction, has filed a lawsuit against the state of Colorado over alleged religious discrimination. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, claims that Colorado law violates the free exercise clause of the…
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D-49 board approves staff, program cuts to balance budget
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One month after declaring a fiscal exigency, the School District 49 Board of Education on Thursday night approved staff and program cuts across the board as part of ongoing efforts to fill a multimillion-dollar budget gap during their regular meeting. Thirty-nine staff positions were eliminated as part of the board’s consent agenda and 12…
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D-49 board repeals policy separating facilities based on biological sex
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Less than six months after passing a policy segregating the use of district facilities based on biological sex, School District 49’s board of education voted to repeal it during a contentious special meeting Tuesday night. Policy JBAA was adopted by the board in September 2025 to establish guidelines separating the district’s toilet, locker room and…
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Return to normalcy? Colorado Springs-area educators reflect on lessons learned since pandemic years
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Dana Bottolfson knew she wanted to be a teacher since she was little. Like most people who pursue the profession, she felt an innate desire to help others in a way she believed would be the most meaningful and impactful. “Whether it was teaching swimming lessons or Sunday school or volunteering in my mom’s classroom,…
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Federal judge recommends dismissing trans athletics lawsuit by area school districts
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A judge has recommended dismissing a federal lawsuit filed by multiple school districts against the Colorado Attorney General’s and Civil Rights Offices over their policies dictating students’ participation in athletics and activities based on their biological sex rather than gender identity. Last spring, District 49, later joined by Colorado Springs D-11, Academy D-20, Education ReEnvisioned…
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Conservative Woodland Park school board member resigns
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In just over two months following the November elections that ushered in three new members to the Woodland Park RE-2 Board of Education, its longest-tenured member has stepped down. Former board President Mick Bates resigned on Jan. 7, which the board formally approved during its regular meeting on Wednesday night. He did not attend the…
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Colorado graduation and dropout rates improve as student enrollment continues to slide
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Colorado’s graduation and dropout rates continue to go up while its overall enrollment continues to go down, according to new data released Tuesday morning. The Colorado Department of Education released student graduation data from the 2024-25 school year, with the state’s four-year graduation rate increasing by 1.4 percentage points to 85.6% – the highest in…
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Colorado High School Activities Association reaches settlement with D-49, other school districts in trans athletics lawsuit
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Months after adopting new policies restricting students to athletic participation based on their biological sex and filing a federal lawsuit, School District 49 and other Colorado school districts have reached a settlement with the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) over their right to enforce them. All parties have signed an agreement allowing the school…
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D-11 to terminate teacher’s employment following critical social media posts
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Colorado Springs D-11 is set to dismiss one of its elementary schoolteachers who has publicly criticized district leadership in recent months. During their regular meeting, the D-11 Board of Education discussed both the school district’s “employee dismissal process” and the “employment status of Angelica Givler-Viers, McAuliffe Elementary School Teacher” on Wednesday night. Superintendent Michael Gaal…
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Colorado Springs D-11 board member running for state House seat
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A Colorado Springs District 11 board member has thrown their hat into the ring for a seat in the state House of Representatives. A candidate affidavit and committee registration form for Jill Haffley, vice president of D-11’s Board of Education, in House District 16 were filed with the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office on Nov.…
