Lawmakers have regularly balanced the state budget “on the backs of students,” public schools advocates have argued. This year, legislators took a different approach.

Colorado’s expanding use of four-day school weeks is intensifying concerns about lost instructional time as districts weigh the model’s impact on student learning, staffing and long-term outcomes.

Leaders of the two-month-old Riverstone Academy say their students are owed state funding under the U.S. Constitution, but state officials argue that funding a school with religious teachings would violate both state and federal law.

About 10% of Colorado principals leave their schools each year, straining teacher retention. To help, the state and Colorado State University Global are expanding leadership pipelines and online licensure programs to support rural principals.

Budgets slimmed by declining enrollment are forcing leaders of the Colorado district to consider closing schools starting in fall 2025—a decision that has stirred up anguish and anger among many families whose schools are at risk of shuttering.

Lawmakers want to increase funding for students with greater learning needs, including students living in poverty, those learning English and students with disabilities.

The state education department counted 1,800 fewer students in schools this year, with the sharpest declines affecting the youngest grades. The enrollment dips have serious consequences for every facet of school — from funding to staffing.