Board hears update on new Colorado Springs School of Technology; directors and public press funding, governance and equity questions

The Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education received an update on the Colorado Springs School of Technology (CSST), a district innovation school planned to open with a ninth‑grade cohort, and discussed facility, funding and governance issues.

District administrators said the state Board of Education unanimously approved the CSST innovation application and associated waivers last April. Dr. Brandon Comfort (District administration) told the board: "CSST is a District 11 school. It is not a private school, it is not a charter school, it is a district 11 school. It is a school of innovation." Nathan Gorsch, CSST’s executive director, described CSST as a STEM‑focused program with industry and higher‑education partnerships and a mission to blend "innovation meets character."

Program and facility: CSST is targeting an initial enrollment of about 100 ninth graders (the application allows flexibility for mixing ninth and tenth graders). The district and CSST leaders said they are negotiating to use space in the back of the UCCS National Cybersecurity Center and estimated an initial tenant‑improvement cost of about $2.5 million to build classrooms, flexible…