Author: kdoran

Your Colorado Voter Resource Hub

Elections | 10/14/2026
Post author
Stand for Children

Ballots have been mailed to Colorado voters, and to help you sort through candidate races, statewide ballot measures, and local issues, we’ve gathered trusted resources to help you learn more about the candidates and issues on your ballot before you vote.

Understand the Ballot Measures and Local Funding measures

Statewide ballot measures often have a lasting impact on Colorado communities, but many voters will also see local funding measures on their ballots. Depending on where you live, that may include school funding questions, mill levy overrides, bond measures, or other local initiatives.

Before casting your vote, take time to understand what each proposal would do and learn about the perspectives surrounding it.

Resources:

Quick Links

Learn About the Candidates

From governor and congressional races to state legislative, local, and State Board of Education races, Colorado voters have important decisions to make at every level of government this year. One of the best ways to prepare decide who earns your vote is to hear directly from candidates and review information from a variety of trusted sources.

Resources:

Make a Plan to Vote

Colorado’s vote-by-mail system makes voting convenient, but it’s still important to plan ahead. Give yourself time to research any remaining questions, complete your ballot, and return it before the deadline.

Before Election Day:

Make Your Voice Heard

The decisions made by elected leaders affect Colorado students, families, schools, and communities every day. Taking time to learn about the candidates and issues on your ballot can help ensure your vote reflects your values and priorities.

Get informed. Make a plan. Vote.

Tu Centro de Recursos para Votantes de Colorado

Las boletas electorales ya se enviaron por correo a los votantes de Colorado. Para ayudarte a conocer las candidaturas, las propuestas electorales estatales y los asuntos locales, hemos recopilado recursos confiables que te permitirán informarte antes de votar.

Conoce las propuestas electorales y las medidas de financiamiento local

Las propuestas electorales estatales suelen tener un impacto duradero en las comunidades de Colorado. Sin embargo, muchos votantes también encontrarán medidas de financiamiento local en sus boletas. Dependiendo de dónde vivas, estas pueden incluir propuestas para financiar escuelas, aumentos de impuestos sobre la propiedad, emisión de bonos u otras iniciativas locales.

Antes de votar, dedica tiempo a comprender qué propone cada medida y conocer las diferentes perspectivas al respecto.

Recursos:

Enlaces rápidos

Conoce a las candidatas y los candidatos

Desde las elecciones para gobernador y el Congreso hasta las legislaturas estatales, los cargos locales y la Junta Estatal de Educación, los votantes de Colorado tomarán decisiones importantes en todos los niveles de gobierno este año.

Una de las mejores maneras de prepararte para decidir quién merece tu voto es escuchar directamente a las candidatas y los candidatos y consultar información de diversas fuentes confiables.

Recursos:

Haz un plan para votar

El sistema de votación por correo de Colorado facilita la participación electoral, pero es importante planificar con anticipación. Dedica tiempo a investigar cualquier duda pendiente, completar tu boleta y entregarla antes de la fecha límite.

Antes del día de las elecciones:

Haz escuchar tu voz

Las decisiones de nuestros representantes electos afectan diariamente a los estudiantes, las familias, las escuelas y las comunidades de Colorado.

Informarte sobre las candidaturas y las propuestas que aparecen en tu boleta te ayudará a tomar decisiones que reflejen tus valores y prioridades.

Infórmate. Haz un plan. ¡Vota!

National Voter Registration Day: Are You Ready to Vote?

Uncategorized | 09/15/2026
Post author
Stand for Children

This National Voter Registration Day, we’re encouraging you to take a few minutes to make sure you’re ready to vote this election day, November 3, 2026. The leaders elected this November will make decisions that affect Colorado students, families, and communities. Voting is one of the most powerful ways to make your voice heard and shape the future of our state.

Whether you’ve recently moved, changed your name, or haven’t voted in a while, now is the perfect time to check your voter registration and make a plan to participate.

Check Your Registration

Colorado makes it easy to register to vote, update your information, and verify your registration status.

Take a few minutes today to:

  • Confirm you’re registered to vote
  • Update your address if you’ve moved
  • Review your voter information for accuracy

Resources:

Research What’s on the Ballot:

  • You don’t have your ballot yet, but you can still prepare! This website will provide you a sample ballot for your address.
    • Visit candidate websites, check out their social media, and search their name to see recent news coverage. 
    • Pull information from organizations you trust to see who they have endorsed. You can see Stand’s endorsements here.
  • There are also statewide ballot initiatives for you to consider this year. Stand has endorsed Prop NN and Amendment 87.
  • The Blue Book  (you will receive a hard copy of this in the mail, too!) is a voter guide with easy-to-understand explanations of each ballot initiative compiled by nonpartisan staff of the Colorado Legislative Council.  

Make a Plan to Vote

Colorado’s vote-by-mail system makes voting convenient, but having a plan helps ensure your ballot is returned on time.  With one of the longest ballots in Colorado history expected this year, don’t wait until the last minute. Give yourself time to review the candidates and issues, complete your ballot, and make your voice heard.

Check your registration. Make a plan. Vote.

Stand for Children Colorado Announces 2026 General Election Endorsements

Uncategorized | 09/4/2026
Post author
Stand for Children

Stand for Children Colorado Announces 2026 General Election Endorsements

We’re proud to endorse candidates and ballot measures in the 2026 General Election that will help build stronger schools, support students and families, and create a brighter future for Colorado.

After reviewing candidates’ positions and priorities, Stand for Children Colorado is proud to endorse the following candidates and statewide ballot measures.

Statewide

Governor

Ballot Measures

  • YES on Proposition NN– would increase K-12 funding by 50% over the next decade to support higher teacher pay, smaller class sizes, career and technical education, and stronger accountability, all without raising taxes.
  • YES on Amendment 87– is designed to reduce taxes for 97% of Coloradans while locking in investments to schools, childcare, healthcare, and communities across the state.

Colorado Senate

Senate District 3

Colorado House

House District 42

These candidates and measures reflect a commitment to strengthening Colorado communities and expanding opportunity for students and families across our state.

This election will help shape Colorado’s future, and we encourage every eligible voter to make a plan to vote.

Not sure if you’re registered? Check your registration status or update your voter information through the Colorado Secretary of State:

Together, we can help ensure every Colorado family has the opportunity to thrive.

Q&A: Why These Skills Matter More Than Ever for Ninth Graders

High School Success | 09/1/2026
Post author
Stand for Children

In our recent blog, Beyond Grades: Understanding the Skills Behind Student Success, we explored how the Center for High School Success (CHSS) Skills Wheel helps schools identify and support the skills students need to thrive in ninth grade and beyond.

To dive deeper, we spoke with our colleague, Jen Gallegos, Southwest Director at CHSS, about why skill development matters, what schools are seeing during the transition to high school, and how educators can use existing structures to better support students.

Read on for our full conversation.

1. What is the CHSS Skills Wheel?

The CHSS Skills Wheel is a tool that helps schools focus on the skills students need to be successful, not just in high school, but beyond graduation. It gives educators a shared language to talk about skills like self-management, self-awareness, relationship building, decision-making, and perseverance. What I love about the Skills Wheel is that it helps us move beyond simply identifying that a student is struggling and start asking why. Instead of stopping at “this student is off track,” teams can identify a skill the student may need help developing and be much more intentional about the support they provide. It also helps shift our thinking away from labeling students. Rather than saying a student is “unmotivated” or “disorganized,” we can recognize that these are skills that can be explicitly taught, practiced, and strengthened over time.

2. Why focus on skills, not just grades and attendance?

Grades and attendance help us see what is happening. Skills help us understand why it might be happening and what we can do about it. If a student is failing classes, for example, the issue may not be academic ability. They may be struggling with organization, time management, task initiation, self-advocacy, or responsibilities outside of school. Similarly, when attendance starts to decline, there is often more happening in a student’s life that we need to understand. The goal isn’t to replace grades and attendance. Those are incredibly important indicators. Focusing on skills gives schools another layer of information that can help them understand what students need and respond more intentionally.

3. What skills do students struggle with most during the transition to high school?

One of the biggest shifts students experience when they enter high school is the increased expectation of independence. Suddenly, they’re managing multiple teachers, larger workloads, extracurricular commitments, changing social environments, and much more responsibility for their own learning. In my experience working with schools, some of the skills that come up most often are organization, time management, task initiation, and self-advocacy. Many ninth graders are still learning how to ask for help, communicate with teachers, manage competing priorities, and advocate for what they need. They’re also developing confidence, navigating new relationships, and figuring out where they belong. The good news is that these aren’t fixed traits. They’re skills that can be taught, practiced, and strengthened, and schools can play an important role in helping students develop them.

4. How can schools identify when students need support?

The most effective schools I work with combine data with relationships. Attendance, grades, behavior, and course performance can help us identify students who may need additional support. But some of the most important information comes from talking with students and the adults who know them well. This is where strong 9th Grade Success Teams and Kid Talks can be incredibly powerful. When teams regularly come together to look at data and talk about individual students, they can bring together perspectives from multiple adults who know that student in different ways. Instead of simply identifying that a student is off track, the conversation can focus on what the team knows about the student, what they may be experiencing, what skills may need strengthening, and what support could make a difference. I often encourage schools to shift from asking, “What’s wrong with this student?” to asking, “What is this student experiencing?” That shift changes the conversation. It creates curiosity instead of assumptions and helps us understand what might actually be getting in the student’s way. Student voice is also critical. Students should have opportunities to reflect on what is working, where they’re struggling, and what skills they want or need to strengthen. When we combine that perspective with data and strong relationships, we have a much more complete picture of what a student needs.

5. What does this work look like in practice?

One of the things I appreciate about this work is that it doesn’t have to become another program or initiative for schools to implement. It can be embedded into structures they already have. I’ve seen schools incorporate skill development into advisory, student support meetings, mentoring, grade-level team meetings, and one-on-one conversations with students. Teams can use their data to identify a student who may need support, talk with the student to better understand what’s happening, identify a skill to focus on, and then help the student set goals, practice, and reflect on their progress. The schools that do this well make skill development part of the culture. Students hear consistent language from different adults, and teachers, counselors, administrators, and support staff have a shared way to talk about what students need.

6. How can schools get started focusing on these skills?

My biggest advice is to start small and be intentional. Schools don’t need to tackle every skill at once or create an entirely new initiative. Start by helping staff understand why these skills matter and how they connect to the outcomes they’re already focused on. Then look at your students and identify a few skills that seem especially important in your context. I also encourage schools to use the structures they already have. Advisory, ninth-grade teams, student support processes, mentoring, and data meetings can all become opportunities to intentionally build skills. Most importantly, remember that skill development takes time. We wouldn’t expect a student to master an academic concept after one lesson, and we shouldn’t expect that with these skills either. Students need opportunities to practice, receive feedback, reflect, and try again.  Ultimately, we’re helping students develop skills that will serve them far beyond ninth grade. That’s what makes this work so powerful.

The Skills Behind Ninth Grade Success

Uncategorized | 08/26/2026
Post author
Stand for Children

As students return to classrooms across Colorado, educators are focused on helping them start the year strong. For ninth graders, that matters more than ever.

We know ninth grade is a pivotal year. Students who successfully complete ninth grade on track are significantly more likely to graduate from high school, while students who struggle during their first year often face challenges that become harder to overcome over time. Because of this, many schools closely monitor attendance, grades, and course completion. These are important indicators, but the skills students need to navigate high school successfully are perhaps equally important.

Self-Regulation

Successful ninth graders are learning how to manage increasing levels of independence and responsibility. Self-regulation includes skills such as organization, time management, initiative, and sustained attention, all of which help students stay focused and follow through on their goals.

As students transition to high school, these skills help them balance multiple demands, monitor their progress, and adjust when challenges arise. Developing self-regulation helps students stay on track academically while building habits that support long-term success.

Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy is a student’s belief in their ability to achieve goals and succeed when faced with challenges. Skills such as self-awareness, goal setting, and perseverance help students build confidence and develop a sense of ownership over their learning.

When students believe their effort matters, they are more likely to persist through setbacks, seek new opportunities, and remain engaged even when coursework becomes more challenging. These skills are especially important during ninth grade, when students are building confidence in a new environment.

The Skills wheel

Ninth-grade success is about more than earning credits and passing classes. Students are more likely to stay on track when they can:

  • Manage their time and stay organized
  • Set goals and persevere through challenges
  • Communicate their needs and seek support
  • Think critically and solve problems

The CHSS Skills Wheel helps educators intentionally develop these foundational skills so students can thrive in high school and beyond.

Self-Advocacy

Students that know when they need support and how to access it are more successful in school. Self-advocacy includes skills such as social awareness, communication, teamwork, and conflict management that help students navigate relationships and communicate their needs effectively.

As students develop these skills, they become more prepared to ask questions, seek help, work collaboratively with others, and take an active role in their learning. Strong self-advocacy skills help students build connections with peers and trusted adults who can support their success.

Content and Technical Skills

Students also need the academic skills necessary to learn, solve problems, and apply knowledge in meaningful ways. Content and technical skills include learning strategies, critical thinking, creative thinking, and problem solving.

These skills help students navigate complex coursework, analyze information, and develop solutions to new challenges. Together, they provide the foundation students need to succeed in high school classrooms and prepare for future education and career opportunities.

Attendance, grades, and course completion continue to be important measures of student success, but those outcomes are shaped by skills.

The CHSS Skills Wheel provides a framework for helping educators intentionally develop these foundational skills. By building self-regulation, self-efficacy, self-advocacy, and content and technical skills, schools can create stronger foundations for students to thrive in ninth grade and beyond.

From Policy to Practice: The Next Chapter for Phone-Free Schools in Colorado

Phone Free Schools | 07/2/2026
Post author
Stand for Children

July 1 marked an important milestone for Colorado schools.

Every school district in the state has now adopted a student cell phone policy, following the passage of Colorado’s phone-free schools law. Over the past two years, educators, families, students, school board members, and community leaders have engaged in thoughtful conversations about how to create learning environments that support learning, well-being, and meaningful connection.

Many districts chose bell-to-bell or “off and away all day” policies, while others took different approaches. At Stand for Children Colorado, we’ve consistently advocated for bell-to-bell, “off and away all day” policies because they deliver the greatest benefits for students. When phones remain out of sight for the entire school day, students gain more opportunities to focus on learning, build relationships, and engage fully in school life. Research and experience from across the country and Colorado districts continue to show that reducing phone distractions creates stronger conditions for both learning and belonging.

We’re proud to have worked alongside parents, educators, and advocates throughout this effort. Together, we elevated research, shared district success stories, supported local leaders exploring policy options, and built momentum for student-centered solutions.

But policy adoption was never the finish line.

Districts that have already implemented phone-free schools consistently tell us that success depends not just on the policy itself, but on how it’s put into practice. Clear communication with families, staff buy-in, consistent expectations, and thoughtful implementation make all the difference. Districts that have already made the transition report stronger student engagement, fewer distractions, and more face-to-face interaction among students.

That’s why our focus is now shifting to include implementation support.

This school year, Stand for Children Colorado is bringing together educators through a Phone-Free Schools Implementation Network, webinar series, and practical resource hub designed to help districts learn from one another. We’ll share real-world examples, implementation tools, and lessons learned from schools that have already made the transition. At the same time, we will continue to advocate for off-and-away all day policies for all school districts. This includes exploring statewide policy to ensure all students can benefit from bell-to-bell policies.

Colorado has made tremendous progress. Now comes the opportunity to get implementation right so every student can benefit from a school day centered on learning, relationships, and belonging.

The policy conversation isn’t over, but our next chapter is clear: helping schools turn good policies into great outcomes for students.

DPS Now A Statewide Leader in Bell-to-Bell Cell Phone Policy

Uncategorized | 06/9/2026
Post author
Stand for Children

Denver, Colorado – Tonight, the Denver Public Schools Board of Education voted to adopt a bell-to-bell cell phone policy for their full instructional day for every student in the district.

Stand for Children Colorado has been working alongside parents, educators, and community members across Colorado for more than a year to push for districtwide bell-to-bell/away-all-day cell phone policies.

Stand for Children Executive Director Krista Spurgin issued the following statement:

“DPS led one of the most collaborative, thoughtful processes we have seen to develop their cell phone policy for students. Their advisory committee of parents, educators, and community members spent months reviewing the research and developing a clear recommendation. They surveyed the community and heard back loud and clear — 76% of educators and 64% of the broader community supported a bell-to-bell policy.

The board listened, and tonight they acted.

Soon every DPS student will have a school day free from the nonstop distraction phones are designed to create. That matters for their mental health, their friendships, and their ability to learn. This is what teachers and the community asked for. And the DPS board delivered.”

Other districts in Colorado with bell-to-bell policies include: Boulder Valley School District, Boulder Valley (went into effect in January 2025), Mesa D51 (just passed), Westminster (just passed).

Stand for Children Colorado advances solutions that increase opportunities for families, historically furthest from privilege, through meaningful partnerships with families, educators, schools, and policymakers. 

Stand Statement: DPS ONe Step Closer to Bell-to-Bell Phone Policy

Uncategorized | 06/5/2026
Post author
Stand for Children

During the Denver Public Schools Board of Education work session today, the board adjusted their cell phone policy language to prohibit student use of “personal communication devices during the instructional school day while in school buildings,” with devices out of sight and turned off. They made other adjustments and revised policy should be available soon, but the board signaled their commitment to a phone-free-school day for students. Stand for Children Executive Director, Krista Spurgin issued the following statement:

“DPS led one of the most collaborative, thoughtful processes we have seen to develop their cell phone policy for students. They are on track to adopt a policy that gives students a school day free from the nonstop distraction phones are designed to create. That matters for their mental health, their friendships, and their ability to learn. This is what teachers and the community asked for and the DPS board is on track to deliver.”  

The DPS board created the Communication Devices Advisory Committee, a group of parentes, educators, and others who spent months developing a clear, research-aligned recommendation: a districtwide bell-to-bell policy keeping phones away for the entire school day. The district also surveyed the community about cell phone use in schools and found strong support for away-all-day policies.  76% of educators and 64% of the broader community support a bell-to-bell phone policy.

In the Denver Post: Why “Instructional Time Only” Falls Short.

Uncategorized | 04/30/2026
Post author
Stand for Children

Stand for Children Colorado Executive Director Krista Spurgin has an op-ed in the Denver Post making the case for bell-to-bell cell phone policies in Colorado schools.

Every school district in Colorado must adopt a cell phone policy by July 1, 2026. Krista’s piece explains why the type of policy matters just as much as having one. Instructional-time-only restrictions feel like a reasonable middle ground, but they leave students with phone access during lunch and passing periods, where distraction, social conflict, and addictive algorithms continue to cause harm.

Bell-to-bell policies, phones off and away for the entire school day, produce real results. Schools that have adopted them report more instructional time, fewer behavioral disruptions, and stronger peer relationships. A ninth grader in Boulder Valley, where schools went bell-to-bell in January 2025, told us her mental health, focus, and friendships have all improved.

The July 1 deadline is close. Read Krista’s full op-ed in the Denver Post and then visit our action center to see what you can do.

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