In the Colorado Times Recorder, Manuel Solano looks at yet another charter school closure in Colorado and considers what it says about one factor in Colorado charter authorization.
On July 25, 2025, Colorado Skies Academy — a charter middle school with a unique aviation-focused curriculum — closed its doors just 16 days before the school year was set to begin. The announcement blindsided families, left teachers unpaid, and exposed a devastating truth: the Colorado Charter School Institute (CSI), the school’s authorizer, failed in its most basic duty — oversight.
This wasn’t a sudden collapse. The warning signs were visible long before CSI took over. In February 2024, Cherry Creek School District publicly flagged Colorado Skies Academy’s financial instability, citing balloon bond payments, declining enrollment, and the absence of a viable fiscal plan. Yet, when the school requested to leave Cherry Creek and transfer to CSI, the Institute accepted the charter without demanding a financial stress test, contingency plan, or written funding commitments.
CSI’s oversight model is built on autonomy and trust — but in this case, trust became negligence. Teachers were told they wouldn’t be paid for July, despite contracts beginning July 1. Benefits were terminated without notice. Families received an email announcing the closure just hours after the school promoted a back-to-school event on social media. One parent described the moment as “stunning,” asking, “Where’s my kid going to go to school?”
CSI claimed “unanticipated financial developments” caused the school’s viability to “rapidly deteriorate.” But this is not a defense — it’s an indictment. A responsible authorizer would have monitored the school’s finances quarterly, flagged the failed cost-sharing partnership, and intervened before the situation became irreversible. Instead, CSI learned of the collapse during a routine meeting on July 14 and supported the board’s decision to close just 11 days later.
This is not an isolated incident. Over the past decade, 32 charter schools have closed in Colorado, many under CSI’s watch. The Institute’s statewide model lacks the infrastructure, transparency, and community accountability that local school districts provide. CSI cannot offer shared services, emergency funding, or facility support. It relies on self-reported data and delayed intervention, leaving schools vulnerable and families unprotected.
The consequences of CSI’s failures are profound. Students with specialized needs — like those with autism or ADHD — lost access to tailored instruction. Teachers were left jobless at the worst possible time, with most district positions already filled. Families were forced to scramble for alternatives, often in schools that cannot replicate the unique programs Colorado Skies Academy offered.
It’s time to ask the hard question: Why does CSI exist?