Board of Education considers options program
By Lisa Crockett
In December, the Douglas County Board of Education accepted a report by its “Choice Task Force” and took a step toward a possible program to subsidize students attending private schools. The program, which would provide what are called “options certificates” would give 75 percent of the state’s per-pupil revenue (PPR) to the student’s family to be used to pay tuition. The other 25 percent of the PPR would go to the Douglas County School District (DCSD.) Currently, DCSD receives no state funding for students attending private schools.
Superintendent Elizabeth Celania-Fagen and her team are now charged with studying the feasibility and potential viability of such a project – which is possibly the first of its kind in the United States.
“The superintendent’s team is gathering information, looking at financial models and working with the Colorado Department of Education to answer questions about several aspects of this,” said Susan Meek, DCSD director of communications. “It is our intention to move forward with research during December and January, and to then seek public engagement opportunities on the matter some time in February.”
While many details of a possible program are still being researched, a clear distinction between the “Options” program and a “voucher” is that schools receiving options certificate money would have to agree to DCSD standards for testing. As of press time, no timeline for implementation of a pilot program – if one is established – had been determined.
“We want to be thoughtful and measured in how we proceed,” commented board member Craig Richardson. “It is important that we obtain stakeholder interest as well.”
During meetings throughout the fall, the matter drew considerable crowds at board of education meetings, and several people have voiced their opinions on the matter during public comment. One parent who has her doubts about the program is Leigh Shuster, a parent of students at Timber Trail Elementary and an active member of the Timber Trail Education Association (TTEA).
In a letter to the Board of Education, Shuster voiced concerns about the impact the proposal would have on state education budgets and pointed to options that already exist in the public school system (charter schools, magnet schools and other similar programs.)
“I think the Board of Education would better serve its constituents if it would fight to raise the amount of PPR that Douglas County gets for its students, explore ways to raise district revenue, and do a better job of living within the confines of the budget without cutting academic programs,” said Shuster.
For more information on options certificates, visit www.dcsdk12.org.
