At the Colorado Charter School Institute (CSI), we define innovation as the intentional design and sustained execution of creative strategies that improve outcomes for students, particularly those who have been historically underserved.
As we look back on the 2024–25 school year, we are proud to share the release of our newest publication, Stories of Impact and Innovation. This collection tells the story of how CSI schools are translating ideas into practice, addressing access gaps, rethinking instruction, and elevating school culture.
These are not theoretical innovations. They are practical, community-centered solutions that support student success across rural, urban, and suburban communities in Colorado. They demonstrate what’s possible when schools are empowered to lead and when systems are designed to support-not constrain leadership.
Expanding Access: Removing Barriers to Opportunity
At CSI, equity begins with access. Several schools have taken bold steps to ensure that students and families can fully engage in their school communities:
- AXIS International Academy in Fort Collins created a transportation reimbursement program to support families outside school boundaries, resulting in an 11-point drop in chronic absenteeism.
- Academy of Arts & Knowledge in Fort Collins introduced a free Community Learning Center. Staffed by AAK paraprofessionals who already know the students, the CLC program avoids the disruptions common in outsourced care. Programming is engaging and expansive, featuring clubs and enrichment activities including violin, coding, and GEMS (Girls in Engineering, Math, and Science).
- Ricardo Flores Magon Academy in Denver shifted from a single liaison model to a team-based McKinney-Vento support approach, dramatically increasing identification and support for students experiencing housing instability.
Each of these models exemplifies CSI’s commitment to removing systemic barriers and increasing educational opportunity for all.
Transforming Instruction: Meeting Students Where They Are
Great schools never stop refining how they teach, and at CSI, we’ve seen firsthand how innovation in instruction leads to real academic growth:
- Coperni 3 in Colorado Springs provides same-day small group remediation tied directly to lesson objectives. Their students with disabilities saw strong academic growth on state assessments, a testament to targeted support and immediate feedback.
- At Colorado Early Colleges Aurora, multilingual learners benefit from culturally relevant field trips, heritage language courses, and strong attendance supports, which all contribute to growth that exceeds state targets.
- At The Academy of Charter Schools in Westminster, a combination of expanded learning time and low special education staff turnover has led to impressive gains for students with disabilities, supported by a deeply collaborative data culture.
These efforts demonstrate that when instructional models are rooted in data, relationship-building, and responsive design, students excel.
Fostering Culture Centers Community and Belonging
In today’s educational landscape, school culture isn’t a “nice to have”; it’s essential. CSI schools are showing how intentional practices can build safe, connected, and engaged learning environments:
- Montessori del Mundo in Aurora co-developed its mission and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) commitments with community voice at the center, then embedded those commitments into policy, including hair autonomy protections.
- Community Leadership Academy in Commerce City holds a weekly Pin Ceremony to celebrate student achievement in both academics and character, reinforcing growth and pride in an underserved community.
- At Global Village Academy North in Thornton, a parent-designed dismissal app has streamlined end-of-day transitions, reclaimed instructional time, and improved family satisfaction.
What all of these schools have in common is a belief that student success is rooted in trust, celebration, and connection.
CSI’s Role in Creating the Conditions for Innovation
As a statewide charter public school authorizer, CSI is committed to more than oversight; we aim to be an innovation partner. We do this by:
- Prioritizing flexibility in authorizing practices, including our pilot work around mission-aligned performance metrics,
- Providing robust support for new and existing schools from Year 0 planning to partnering schools with experts in facilities and fundraising,
- Advocating for and securing equitable funding, including full mill levy equalization for CSI schools in 2024–25,
- Lifting up and sharing promising practices so all schools can learn from one another.
Together with our schools, we are building an ecosystem that balances autonomy, access and accountability, and prioritizes what works for students.
Looking Forward
The stories in our publication remind us why we do this work. They demonstrate that charter schools, when empowered and supported, can be engines of equity, innovation, and excellence.
As we prepare for another school year, we remain grounded in our mission and inspired by the educators, families, and students who are redefining what’s possible every day.
To explore these stories and strategies in greater detail, we invite you to read the full Stories of Impact and Innovation publication on our website.
Here’s to continued innovation and to a future where every student has access to a school that helps them thrive.