Advocacy

CRSA Advocacy Platform

Guiding Principles

Funding
CRSA supports a funding formula that acknowledges the unique needs of rural and smaller school districts, the economies of scale, and increased costs in remote and rural areas. CRSA supports education funding to be a top priority of the state. CRSA opposes the use of grant funding for education programs. CRSA opposes unfunded mandates.
Accountability
CRSA supports efforts to reward school districts for positive impacts and outcomes. CRSA advocates for the resources to achieve the development and offering of sustainable post-secondary workforce readiness programs. CSRA encourages the use of the Student-Centered Accountability Program as an exemplary model of accountability.
Deregulation and Administrative Efficiencies
CRSA advocates for reduced regulatory burdens on school districts, including data collection, reporting, staff licensure, required trainings, and other compliance requirements. CRSA supports additional efforts to collaborate to achieve cost savings and leverage resources.
Resource Capacity
CRSA advocates for capacity building and resources to support students and families in workforce, housing, capital construction, and behavioral health.
Benefits of Rural Education
CRSA embraces every opportunity to share the positive stories and benefits of a small, rural education. CRSA advances narratives on the positive programs, impacts, and outcomes that come from rural schools.

2025/2026 Advocacy Agenda

Potential Proactive Legislation

A. Require the Legislature to pass the School Finance Act before the Long Bill, as required by statute.

B. State Health Insurance Pool: Ability for school districts to participate in state health insurance pools like other local governments.

C. Licensure Burden Relief: Streamline and simplify ability to convert out of state teaching license to Colorado teaching license.

D. Increase BEST Investment: Increase the state dollars being allocated to the BEST program and remove the cap on how much can be allocated.

Potential Defensive / Reactionary Legislation

A. Protect School Finance Formula Funding: Protect against changes to the school finance formula, oppose changes to averaging, changes to MLO that have negative impacts on rural schools, and oppose reductions in state funding.

B. Civil Rights Protection: Collaborate with other stakeholders on changes to Colorado Civil Rights Protection laws to protect against federal actions.

C. School Safety: CRSA supports schools’ ability to provide safe environments for students and staff.

D. Universal Preschool Program: Collaborate with other stakeholders as CDEC evaluates the Universal Program. CRSA supports ensuring that payments are made timely and in ways that support the sustainability of district universal preschool programs.

E. READ Act Rewrite: CRSA will participate in conversations on how to change the READ Act.

CRSA Advocacy Resources