Tag: d-49
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Colorado’s ‘first public Christian school’ sues state, alleges discrimination
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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How El Paso County schools show support for military students and families
By Laura Fitzgerald, Special to The Gazette Near the end of her sophomore year, Haven Cain enrolled in Widefield High School without knowing a soul. Cain is used to being the new kid at school. The daughter of two military-involved parents, she has attended more than 10 schools since kindergarten. While she’s used to the…
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Despite growing pains, universal preschool program expands access for thousands of El Paso County families
By Laura Fitzgerald, Special to The Gazette When Samuel Clark and his wife welcomed their second child into their family, Clark’s mother-in-law moved in to take care of her grandchild. Despite their professional, full-time jobs, the cost of two kids in child care would have been unaffordable for Clark and his wife. Then, Clark’s mother-in-law…
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D-49 board repeals policy separating facilities based on biological sex
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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Federal judge recommends dismissing trans athletics lawsuit by area school districts
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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D-49 board declares fiscal exigency ahead of workforce, program cuts to balance budget
In an effort to balance its annual budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, the D-49 Board of Education approved a statement of fiscal exigency, which will result in programming and staffing cuts, during its regular meeting Jan. 16. The exigency will lead to a reduction of approximately $1.8 million in teacher salaries and benefits for…
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District 49 suspends restroom, locker room policy based on ‘biological sex’ months after approval
School District 49 voted 3-2 to suspend its policy not to allow transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms aligning with their gender identity during its board meeting on Friday. The policy was approved by a 3-2 vote in September, and the issue returned to the board after Holly Withers unseated incumbent Jamilynn D’Avola,…
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Colorado High School Activities Association reaches settlement with D-49, other school districts in trans athletics lawsuit
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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Tight El Paso County school board race triggers recount in District 11
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story reported that two school board seats qualified for a mandatory recount when only a seat in Colorado Springs District 11 is up for a recount. With the 2025 coordinated elections now certified, one open seat in El Paso County school districts is heading to a recount. Colorado…
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Neck-and-neck school board races could yield ideological shifts in El Paso County
As coordinated elections across Colorado and the country saw decidedly blue waves, school board elections in the Pikes Peak region could see their own splashes. While the totals from the 2025 elections have yet to be finalized, they could potentially mark a shift in technically nonpartisan elections that have favored conservative-leaning candidates in recent years.…