D11 ECHO: Education and Community Help Organization

Not all of us can be superheroes like our teachers and support staff, but we CAN make a direct impact on every school district in Colorado Springs.

If you’ve ever considered running for your local school board, or know someone who would make a great candidate, we’d love to see you there.

Join us on Thursday, July 16, at 5:30 p.m. at the Chinook Center to learn more about what’s involved. And if running isn’t for you, come anyway! There are plenty of ways to help identify, support, and encourage strong candidates who will serve our schools and community.

$9.4 million taxpayer dollars…
That’s the amount The Colorado Springs School District 11 is giving to ERBOCES.

Our friends in D20 had a shakeup last night regarding book banning, taking away name choice of students, and is likely to follow D11’s terrible lead in leaving CASB.

We support our teachers and families in D20!

Will D11 take note of Miller’s patterns and stay away from him and his projects, only time will tell.

Last night, the D11 Board voted to withdraw from CASB, making us the only school district in Colorado without membership in the Colorado Association of School Boards.

There are 178 school districts in Colorado. D11 now stands alone.

So what is CASB?

For 86 years, CASB has provided school board members with policy expertise, leadership training, legislative advocacy, governance support, and a professional network that helps districts serve students effectively. Simply put, it's where school board members learn how to do their jobs well—how to run meetings, understand budgets, interpret state education data, and advocate for laws that benefit students.

Membership isn't free. D11's projected 2026-27 dues would be $26,493. While that may sound like a significant expense, it's an investment in competent governance, informed decision-making, and strong advocacy for our students. We want D11 to remain one of the best districts in Colorado Springs. We want a board that is trained, informed, and prepared.

Now entering the chat…CLAS: Colorado Leaders for Academic Success.

CLAS was founded by Brad Miller and his son, Joshua Miller. While CLAS describes itself as nonpartisan, it operates as a conservative-aligned organization and is affiliated with the national group School Boards for Academic Excellence (SBAE). SBAE has promoted abstinence-only s*x education and has ties to organizations such as the Republican National Lawyers Association. CLAS networking and training opportunities often involve the Leadership Institute, an organization known for training conservative political candidates.

Unlike many elected offices, school board races are intended to be nonpartisan.

Currently, CLAS has just six member districts in Colorado, and all of them also maintain CASB membership. Its part-time director, Daniel Snowberger, resigned last month as superintendent of Elizabeth School District. Many believe the move is related to positioning himself for D20’s Superintendent job.

History matters. Woodland Park and Elizabeth School District both left CASB and aligned with CLAS. Both districts later returned to CASB after experiencing significant enrollment declines, teacher turnover, and academic challenges.

Is D11 on the verge of becoming a member with CLAS? We think it’s a good possibility.

Just as students need teachers to learn and grow, school board members also do- they need training, resources, and experienced guidance to effectively lead a district.

Without CASB they are students in a classroom without a teacher.

And that’s a problem.

Board members Leann Bartlett and Charles Johnson voted to remain with CASB. The rest of the board voted to end membership effective June 30.

If you believe D11 should remain connected to the professional organization that supports school boards across Colorado, contact your board members. Call. Email. Speak up.

Our students deserve a board that never stops learning.

Thomas Carey (President): [email protected]

Jill Haffley (Vice-President): [email protected]

LeAnn Baca Bartlett (Director): [email protected]

Dr. Michelle Ruehl (Secretary): [email protected]

Jason Jorgenson (Treasurer): [email protected]

Charles Johnson (Director): [email protected]

Parth Melpakam (Director): [email protected]

Colorado Education Association Colorado Springs Education Association - CSEA The Colorado Springs School District 11 Thompson School District Reform Watch The D20 Accountability Project

Do you work for D11 and have concerns you’d like to share but don’t feel comfortable speaking publicly?

We have established an anonymous tip line for D11 employees and staff who wish to report concerns, share information, or bring attention to issues they believe deserve public awareness.

The tip line is managed by a separate local nonprofit, B.R.E.A.D., through a simple Google Form. No names are required, and no identifying information is requested.

Submissions may include concerns about situations you’ve witnessed or experienced, as well as statements you would like shared publicly. If preferred, one of our members can read your submitted comments during a Board of Education meeting on your behalf while maintaining your anonymity.

We recognize that some employees may feel hesitant to speak openly due to workplace pressures or fear of retaliation. This resource exists to provide a safe avenue for voices to be heard and concerns to be brought forward.

Your identity remains confidential. Your voice matters.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfIII9zbvCKjBeaPlSeCfXlJ1LW5sr6qcnhyNghURE5TXlxwQ/viewform

Or email us at

[email protected]

Colorado Springs Teacher and Staff ANONYMOUS tip line. Your personal information will stay confidential, it will NOT be shared publicly for any reason. We understand how hard it can be to speak out. While you do have to sign into your Google account to submit a claim, we do not collect your email and cannot see your email. Any identifying information wi...

Same MO Brad Miller has done in other districts including D20 currently. Only leaving Districts broke and devastated when he is finally done with us.
Join us tonight at the D11 board meeting and speak on how Brad Miller and his group Colorado Leaders for Academic Success (CLAS) is bad for D11.

https://d11.community.highbond.com/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=1108

Superintendent ready to respond to 'unfounded' allegations raised by school board president Heading into tonight's special meeting, Montrose County School District Superintendent Dr. Carrie Stephenson said she's looking forward to addressing allegations asserted by school board President Neisha Balleck.

Great news for families who need a little help this summer!

Free summer meals available for all Colorado children ages 18 and younger The Colorado Department of Education announced Tuesday that over 600 summer meal sites are now open statewide to provide free meals to anyone 18 and younger.

Several districts across the region will be offering free meals to students over the summer. Please utilize and share with friends!

https://gazette.com/2026/05/26/local-schools-to-offer-free-meals-to-students-over-summer/?fbclid=IwZnRzaASEP61leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe3sDGyJeiIveNcx7qHZx0VYjX2RJXnbwmPYbL2-haZjeq14H6U2QI9_zAS7w_aem_WNiiRPobyQw4rE943XhzGQ

Local schools to offer free meals to students over summer The summer season is here, but that doesn’t mean the free meals students enjoyed during the school year are ending. Starting Wednesday, Coloradans 18 years or younger will have access to participating sites serving breakfast and/or lunch at no cost, Monday through Friday, during the summer months....

What better way to kick off summer than by getting informed, getting involved, and connecting with others who care about the future of D11? ☀️ 📚

Join ECHO this Thursday to hear what the D11 Board and Superintendent have planned for our district and learn how you can be part of the conversation and the change.

Not in D11 but interested in starting your own ECHO group? Come by, ask questions, and see what we’re all about. Everyone is welcome!

📍 Ruth Holley Library685 N. Murray Blvd.

📅 Thursday, May 28

⏰ 5:30–6:30 PM

Please fill out the RSVP at the link below. We look forward to meeting you and making change together!

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