[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6530327,"mediaKeyId","3668479-0b9f095480e939cfea43374d0000e24e","parentId",3668479,"title","District 11 hears hours of public comment on proposed sports policy; board to consider revised language next week","audioSeconds",525,"startMs",2293000,"endMs",2818000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3668479-0b9f095480e939cfea43374d0000e24e&start=2293&end=2818","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3668479-0b9f095480e939cfea43374d0000e24e/thumbnail_2293000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6530327/Colorado/District-11-hears-hours-of-public-comment-on-proposed-sports-policy-board-to-consider-revised-language-next-week","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530327-9c40b54f96c93e9c43d982f631586a60/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152103&Signature=P8IPXlxjVUxIufFbgrchi-bTD-2jLJ6BdJ0LAPOp4pP-O8ojpX~xWxhVB~zwawES-xpiAfMT6cvyO0Fa0UjvQxI2pEDT1HX-XiOYpEM4~nvatEdVRmbHNybwLJAfhWzklP-bEVM5xd4pPoOv0p76b6vby009MW5DJGAIp2Mhirk2taS1MmJduCqXznLT-yYA0FZ5k3IS3J576OXltOR0mEklCpZG5zEyQBFH3znHviyCeDIWEcXLn0-ZxY7r8EkZHMsOnX0TarsRCoY-Ox-w64l~Gk~uvoV1mANXvMW61ngixnxGyO4r6qDWcbTPp2He1SRkMvw8Jhj3ntfqBf3rgA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Colorado Springs School District No. 11","date","2025-06-04T19:28:13Z","article","The Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education spent a major portion of its June 4 meeting hearing public comment and discussing proposed policy JBA, which the draft describes as \"preserving fairness and safety in sports.\" The board did not vote on the policy; members asked legal counsel to refine language and said they would consider the item at a future meeting.

What happened in public comment
- Dozens of speakers addressed the policy during the public comment period. Several students and advocacy groups urged the board to oppose the proposed policy and to take steps that affirm and protect transgender and gender-expansive students.
- Michelangelo Crewsen, a soon-to-be senior at Palmer High School who identified as a transgender student, told the board: \"This policy is plainly a waste of time, energy, and resources for you, me, and everyone in this room.\" He urged the board to focus on evidence and the wellbeing of the relatively small number of transgender students in the district.
- Inside Out Youth Services representatives and clinicians cited data and mental-health concerns, warning that exclusionary policies increase risk for suicidal ideation and other harms. Angie Reeder, executive director of Inside Out Youth Services, told the board: \"This policy does not protect girls. It targets and isolates transgender students.\" Several mental-health professionals also testified that affirming environments reduce suicide risk.
- Other speakers, including retired teachers and community members, urged the board to adopt protections for girls' sports and privacy in locker rooms and travel, arguing those are matters of fairness and safety.

Board discussion and next steps
- Board members acknowledged the volume and intensity of public comment. Several members said they wanted legal counsel to clarify the draft policy language and to incorporate case-by-case accommodations where appropriate.
- The board did not adopt the policy Wednesday. The discussion concluded with board members indicating the item will return for a formal action vote in a subsequent meeting after legal revisions and additional staff input.

Context and significance
- The issue echoes national debates about participation of transgender students in school sports and the display of flags and symbols in schools. Speakers on both sides cited research, legal precedents, and local experience.
- Several speakers invoked state and federal civil-rights contexts; the board sought and received legal guidance in executive session and asked for revised language before taking action.

Ending
Board members said they would review legal revisions and return the item for consideration next week; in the interim, staff and counsel were asked to provide clarifying language and case examples the board could apply when voting on a final policy.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOE Regular Meeting 6-4-25","oneSentenceSummary","The Board of Education heard extended public comment on a proposed sports policy, JBA, addressing fairness and safety in athletics but did not vote; members asked legal counsel to revise the draft and scheduled the matter for future action.","taxTitle","Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the cou, School Districts , Colorado","taxId",12901,"location","Colorado","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6530331,"Board approves two new K-8 charter schools, begins contract process",4276,3876000,8152000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3668479-0b9f095480e939cfea43374d0000e24e&start=3876&end=8152","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3668479-0b9f095480e939cfea43374d0000e24e/thumbnail_3876000.jpg","/articles/6530331/Colorado/Board-approves-two-new-K-8-charter-schools-begins-contract-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530331-c9942498ccbba06f2eaacaeab89204db/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152103&Signature=XFQLzlH2yI6Tny7gauQwcHlcCWKmU8Ws-4IoVQBbGsKush2V6k0qNDRoFsCtAwRjV0MfT86vJpDvPSYSM7L0iuSaxCVXHPCDXEkiRevm9ABLc5lw9wse7ei1SrrIgyXwmkOlUr~CXXPopXgkcmjRxIc0eSu~ycilbp4OT9uuqoqk3b0VaalJ9aTeAaZTX4rOVih4ftv0jsriuQz4M1osNcK7DfKNRoeZCyUlRT2se~HvKtD1j-FQUBWxdYnw3gJFQgoT3GkkX3NV9Wr1RlXm28Kzn6Nndtpxr5-oBhI6LI5gh8AVjQtgZH9qUavqQUwdK29mJRK3UOmoLXEZDNeuSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education unanimously approved two new charter school applications Wednesday — East Hills Academy and Spruce Community School — following staff reviews, a District Accountability Committee review and a public hearing at the meeting.

Board action and next steps
- The board approved resolution 2025-40 to authorize East Hills Academy to operate as a new charter school and resolution 2025-41 to authorize Spruce Community School. Both votes were unanimous.
- Approval at this stage authorizes the district to begin drafting charters and implementation contracts; the final contract and operational milestones must still be negotiated and returned to the board for final approval before either school enrolls students.

What supporters said
- Several speakers at the public hearing urged approval. Justin Herrod, a superintendent at Nunn Construction, said East Hills' emphasis on a \"core knowledge curriculum\" and character development made it a fit for families who need busing and a family-friendly schedule.
- Spruce supporters said the school's project-based learning model and small class sizes would add an option for families seeking a different instructional approach.

Why it matters: Approving an application begins a multi-step process that includes contract negotiation, facility planning, and milestone reporting. The board and staff said the district will monitor academic and fiscal performance through the charter contract and renewal process.

Votes and timing
- East Hills Academy (resolution 2025-40): motion moved and seconded; roll call vote recorded as unanimous in favor.
- Spruce Community School (resolution 2025-41): motion moved and seconded; roll call vote recorded as unanimous in favor.

Provenance (where topic appears in the public record)
- East Hills Academy motion introduced on the record; public hearing testimony for charter applicants occurred earlier in the meeting.
- Both approvals were made at the June 4 regular meeting; the staff and DAC reviews were included in board documents and considered by board members.

Ending
Board members congratulated the applicant teams and noted that charter approval is the first of several implementation steps; a contract with performance expectations and timelines will be negotiated and returned to the board for final approval before either school opens.","The district approved applications from East Hills Academy and Spruce Community School and will move to contract development; both approvals were unanimous after staff and District Accountability Committee reviews and a public hearing.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6530335,"Colorado Springs School District 11 adopts 2025–26 budget after amendment removing two union-release FTEs",907,6979000,7886000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3668479-0b9f095480e939cfea43374d0000e24e&start=6979&end=7886","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3668479-0b9f095480e939cfea43374d0000e24e/thumbnail_6979000.jpg","/articles/6530335/Colorado/Colorado-Springs-School-District-11-adopts-202526-budget-after-amendment-removing-two-union-release-FTEs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530335-7eac4ef5794c8cfa7ef9f33a183ee9a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152103&Signature=WocpTshxeg9piD1NPccNBFvIPvM2YWrFB9bqZKJLMH-vpngofwb9jtnSPzlIfdxe6Q3aGYaaVLymnCT4qwTcLtA92WrVrnni5S3S2CulG5Vmx~xJPP7azsBp1902IjCxf0qcjkOfHtcWzbIxbOOLtzIAFGRL7d2uh0TLQYTbiQ11za5kUckWgh-dInG9Oou0y2KkN99VQsh9yJs1qQ6tdq5guRcn93dyjiQs7S9PMdxC99WjcEzfvWLM-3hCACGG222m2TglS-YIxmUK6yrIEQFZVkar78PlSZ7JbhYzDVxdt6BB7ppEXJT1jubuFn5Lg9gxuOP0A2U3ytx3WSNYHQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education on Wednesday approved its fiscal year 2025'\u001226 budget after an amendment removing full-time equivalent (FTE) positions that had been allocated to the salaries of the classified employees association president and the educational support personnel president.

The budget vote followed an amendment proposed by Director Nelson and a lengthy public and board discussion about priorities. Superintendent Gahl said the budget was designed to shift resources \"as close to students as possible\" and described it as \"a hallmark budget\" that ties dollars to schools and students.

Board members said the spending plan prioritizes classroom resources and staff compensation. The final adopted plan includes the compensation package the district characterized as a roughly 10% increase distributed across employees.

Why it matters: The budget sets spending and staffing for the coming school year and reflects the board's decision to reallocate some central office and reserved funds to schools and employee pay. The amendment to remove two union-release FTEs was a contested element of the board's deliberations and required a separate roll-call vote before the board adopted the amended budget.

What the board did
- The board passed a motion to amend the proposed budget to remove the FTE allocated for the salaries of the CSEA president and the ESP president. Director Nelson moved the amendment; it passed on roll call (6 yes, 1 no).
- Following that amendment the board approved the appropriation resolution for the fiscal year 2025'\u001226 budget as amended (final roll-call: unanimous aye). Superintendent Gahl described the budget as redirecting funds to school-based authority and called the compensation package and administrative reductions '\u001ea strategic shift'\u001c toward classroom resources.

Discussion highlights
- Director Nelson, who moved the amendment, said she was \"frustrated\" that the discussion occurred late in the cycle and emphasized transparency and timely communication with the board and staff about contract and staffing changes.
- Director Hart said she opposed removing the union-release positions on principle but supported the final budget so the district would have an approved spending plan before the summer.
- Superintendent Gahl defended the budget's design and said the district must align resources because enrollment and funding trends require direct, school-based investments: \"This budget represents our acknowledgment that we can no longer continue to squirrel money away and hide it and hope that things get better.\" (Superintendent Gahl)

Votes at a glance (selected fiscal and related actions adopted during the meeting)
- Resolution 2025-25 (Student fees, fines and charges for 2025'\u001226) — Adopted (roll call: majority aye).
- Policy BDFM (Mill levy override governance) — Adopted.
- Several personnel- and process-related board policies (GCKAA; GCQA; GCO; GDE/GDF) — Adopted, effective 07/01/2025.
- Repeal of legacy negotiation/meet-and-confer policies (GBDA, GBDB, HH and associated regulations) — Adopted, effective 07/01/2025.
- Direction to the superintendent to remove language aligned to repealed policies in the board policy manual — Adopted.
- Resolution 2025-33 (Use of portion of beginning fund balance) — Adopted.
- Resolution 2025-34 (Designation of fund balance) — Adopted.
- Resolution 2025-35 (Interfund borrowing) — Adopted.
- Resolution 2025-36 (Appropriation of FY2025'\u001226 budget) — Adopted as amended (final vote: aye).
- Mitchell High School: 3-year renewal as a school of innovation — Approved.
- Charter approvals (East Hills Academy and Spruce Community School) — Approved (see separate article for details).
- Affirmation of superintendent's expulsion decision for Student A through 04/28/2026 — Affirmed by the board (vote recorded; student privacy limits comment).

Implementation notes and next steps
- The board instructed the superintendent and staff to implement the budget as adopted and to return required reporting and follow-up items in accordance with district policy.
- The board also directed administration to provide guidance and operations-level details about how staff affected by the removal of FTE allocations will be transitioned and supported.

Ending
Board members and administrators said the budget is intended to be a starting point to shift authority and resources to schools and to make the district more competitive for families choosing schools locally. The board will reconvene for routine business in August; implementation actions and any required follow-ups will be reported to the board and posted in board documents.","The Board of Education approved the district's 2025'\u001226 budget, including a roughly 10% staff compensation package, after voting to remove FTE allocated to the CSEA and ESP presidents. The board approved multiple related fiscal and policy resolutions during the meeting.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6530323,"Board seeks legal edits to proposed flag/display policy after public comment; returns for action next week",326,5995000,6321000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3668479-0b9f095480e939cfea43374d0000e24e&start=5995&end=6321","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3668479-0b9f095480e939cfea43374d0000e24e/thumbnail_5995000.jpg","/articles/6530323/Colorado/Board-seeks-legal-edits-to-proposed-flagdisplay-policy-after-public-comment-returns-for-action-next-week","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530323-e324fa29a562a3c7190cf455a37d005b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152103&Signature=DguyMLOsn3AqeiuySZMlKFGaXULcLgBrd4dhhwbO35mNHESlt4A2f5CK5nWSVMdXthDtd4CgwsMSPFVFLHldtxKY-~UiqujTyD7MfdFT2fg8-~G7~kJyLFuBRUUptJLCA~A0y2M~G~gBH4nEwlD5yjJ8t7ljIMc1xdQedG8YeZdAtFrm91j7dj2zU1X0vegpYizEJ7~Vj6zoETtbXZasZLwk1VRXbeaDDkXues33ioZhy5CckjyRSEHcYyKHL9hTg~qCT8MEFTn3DlgQCulasbeLMu33zSkYbxrsTesIRd2Lu~YnBtPAY0Clw0yPwzFOTWRGuSQFYY0xGB5AdJhdQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education discussed draft policy IMD, concerning observances, school ceremonies and the display of flags, and asked legal counsel to update the language before the board votes on the measure.

Public comment and concerns
- Several speakers urged the board not to ban pride flags and cautioned that such restrictions could increase bullying and limit protected student expression. Eleanor Skelton, a secondary English teacher, described incidents in other districts where displays of LGBTQIA+ symbols prompted harassment of students and said a blanket flag ban could cause \"more division and bullying among your student body.\"
- Supporters of a more restrictive policy argued the board should preserve privacy and a neutral learning environment. Board members emphasized they are seeking language that balances free-expression concerns, student safety and consistency with legal obligations.

Board action
- Board members asked legal counsel to prepare revised text. By informal thumbs-up during the meeting, several members said they supported using counsel's proposed revisions; the board indicated the revised language will be posted before the next meeting and returned as an action item.

Why it matters
- Flags and other symbols in schools are often cited by students and mental-health professionals as signals of safety and affirmation; opponents say displays create perceived endorsements. The board sought counsel guidance to craft a policy that accounts for constitutional protections, student expression and operational clarity.

Ending
The board will consider the revised IMD language at a future meeting after legal edits are incorporated and the revised draft is posted for review.","Board members signaled support for legal counsel's revised language on draft policy IMD governing observances, school ceremonies and display of flags after extensive public comment; the policy will return for formal action following edits.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District 11 hears hours of public comment on proposed sports policy; board to consider revised language next week

Board approves two new K-8 charter schools, begins contract process

Colorado Springs School District 11 adopts 2025–26 budget after amendment removing two union-release FTEs

Board seeks legal edits to proposed flag/display policy after public comment; returns for action next week