Stories of Impact & Innovation
Stories of Impact
At the Colorado Charter School Institute (CSI), we define innovation as the intentional design and sustained execution of strategies that improve outcomes for students, particularly those who have been historically underserved.
Building on our Innovative Schools Guidebook, this collection of vignettes showcases how schools across the CSI portfolio bring innovation to life—expanding access through flexible calendars and transportation solutions, deepening learning through targeted academic and social-emotional supports, and strengthening school culture through safety, belonging, and community partnership.
At CSI, we are proud to champion school-level ingenuity, share promising practices, and strike a balance between flexibility and accountability. Together with our schools, we are redefining what’s possible in public education.
IMPACT & INNOVATION
Ricardo Flores Magon Academy
Promising Practice: Team-Based Supports for Students Experiencing Housing Instability
At Ricardo Flores Magon Academy (RFMA), ensuring that every student has access to stability and support—especially those experiencing housing insecurity—is a core priority. After years of under-identification, where no students were officially recognized as McKinney-Vento eligible despite clear signs of need, RFMA reimagined its approach. The school transitioned from a traditional, single-liaison model to a team-based support system—a move that has dramatically improved both identification and service delivery.
Academy of Arts & Knowledge
Promising Practice: Universal SEL Goal-Setting Builds Student Agency and Emotional Intelligence
At the Academy of Arts & Knowledge (AAK), social-emotional learning (SEL) is not an isolated program or an occasional activity—it is deeply embedded into the fabric of the school’s daily life. One of the school’s most innovative and inclusive practices is ensuring that every student sets and monitors a personalized SEL goal, a process that fosters self-awareness, resilience, and empathy across the entire student body.
We are redefining what’s possible in public education!
Stories of Impact