Ann Schimke, Chalkbeat

The families filed the lawsuit in Colorado district court Jan. 13 against The Nest Schools, a national chain that has seven Colorado locations, including one in Centennial.

The Jan. 13 recommendation by U.S. Magistrate Judge Maritza Dominguez Braswell is a tentative win for state officials and a loss for the eight plaintiffs, which include four school districts, three charter schools, and one public education cooperative.

There are several big education issues Colorado will face in 2026 including finding funding amid a budget crunch, and evolving policies around cell phones in schools.

Chalkbeat Colorado shares a few of the educational topics they plan to follow and cover in the new year.

The agreement marks the end of the Colorado High School Activities Association’s involvement in a federal lawsuit spearheaded last spring by the 27,000-student District 49 near Colorado Springs. The lawsuit will continue with other defendants, including Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and officials from the Colorado Civil Rights Division.

Colorado voters elected more progressive candidates to key school board races on Tuesday, resulting in a shift away from conservative-leaning boards in at least three districts. This shift is in line with the blue wave that helped Democrats win high-profile races around the country, and could lead to more union-friendly policies and less time devoted to hot-button issues.

A federal appeals court ruled that religious preschools in Colorado's state-funded preschool program cannot exclude LGBTQ children or children of LGBTQ parents. The ruling upholds a lower court decision and is a major win for the state.

How do teachers captivate their students? Here, in a feature Chalkbeat calls "How I Teach," they ask great educators how they approach their jobs.

A new report from the Keystone Policy Center highlights the shortage of affordable housing for Colorado educators and district staff, with many teachers spending over 40% of their income on housing.

A new report from the Common Sense Institute has found that child care costs in some Colorado counties can be equivalent to more than half a week's salary at a minimum wage job, with families spending 18-25% of their monthly income on child care. Boulder County has the best supply of child care seats relative to the number of young children, while Pueblo County has the worst.