After a final plea from Ascent Classical Academy’s vocal supporters to bring the charter school into Ignacio school district at the last board meeting before winter break, the school board voted down ACA’s request to apply to the Colorado Charter School Institute.
“At the last board meeting, there was a motion to turn ACA over to the CSI,” said Ignacio School District Superintendent Chris deKay in an email to The Durango Herald. “The motion failed to receive a second and therefore died.”
Many in favor of the charter school with a conservative curriculum asked that the school board release control to CSI. Once control is given to state institute, it would then review Ascent’s application and determine the charter’s viability for funding in the Ignacio School District.
“It does nothing but bring good challenges to the school system,” said Ignacio resident Molly O’Hare, one of Ascent’s supporters. “It’s all about raising the bar. We can challenge our students and give them an opportunity to excel. Students always reach higher when we give them a bar to reach for.”
Other Ignacio and Durango parents echoed O’Hare’s sentiments and argued that the charter school could be a place for the home-schooled students in the district to go, as their parents believe the current Ignacio schools do not meet their academic standards.
Ascent spokeswoman Kim Gilmartin, joining the meeting via Zoom, tried to sooth school board concerns over the questions of control within the school district.
“This would be a one-time release and would in no way affect your exclusive chartering authority, which you would retain 100%,” said Gilmartin. “If we were to be authorized by CSI, the Ignacio School District would bear no financial responsibility.”
In the end, the school board voted against turning over control of Ascent’s application to CSI.
Spencer Cone, an Ignacio middle school history teacher, voiced his opinions about why it would not be in the school board’s best interests to put CSI in control of the charter school’s placement in the rural school district.
“It would be a mistake to relinquish our right to local control of education in our district,” he said. “I think it sets a bad precedent, especially when the driving force for opening this school is coming from outside the community.”
Cone then addressed those at the meeting who did not have children who were attending any of Ignacio’s schools.
“To the parents here who are pushing for Ascent, I’d like to invite you to come try our district if you feel like the options where you live aren’t sufficient,” he said. “Our district has a lot of opportunities and bright spots to excel socially, in athletics and in academics. There’s a lot of good stuff going on that’s not reflected in those numbers online. Give us a chance here.”
Representatives for Ascent Classical Academy could not be reached for comment.
molsen@durangoherald.com
