CDE'S SCHOOLS OF CHOICE 2023 EQUITY CONVENING

Equitable Access to School Choice:
Transportation Innovation

Hosted by the Colorado League of Charter Schools in collaboration with the Colorado Association of Charter School Authorizers

Description of the Event

This site was created to collect and organize the materials and resources shared and generated at the 1-day in person convening that brought together charter school leaders and authorizers to explore how some access to transportation to and from school makes a meaningful impact on enrollment equity.

The Spring 2023 Equity Convening highlighted approaches schools, authorizers, and support organizations are taking including:

Inclusive district transportation agreements
Local charter school transportation models
Alternatives to bussing
State policy innovations

The convening examined the following question:

If school choice is a statewide priority, what can be done to increase access to transportation options in schools of choice?

Thank You to Our Presenters & Panelists

National Case Study

Caroline Roemer, Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools

Caroline Roemer has more than 20 years of experience organizing, developing and managing corporate and political communications strategies and public policy initiatives with an emphasis on message development and coalition building. Born and raised in Bossier City, Louisiana, Caroline left her home in 1991 to work around the country on political campaigns, eventually founding her own consulting firm, Roemer Bell, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Clients have included mayors, congressmen, governors and Fortune 500 companies.

Returning to Louisiana in 2005, Caroline became the first executive director for the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools in the fall of 2007. LAPCS currently represents more than 90 percent of charter schools in Louisiana and is recognized as the leading advocacy organization on behalf of charter schools in the state.

National Presentation

Emily Anne Gullickson, A for Arizona

Emily Anne is the Founder and CEO of A for Arizona, bringing a unique background of executive, advocacy, legal, and teaching experience to the organization.

Prior to launching A for Arizona as a stand alone 501(c)(3), Emily Anne served as the Chief Executive Officer at the Arizona Chamber Foundation and Executive Director of the A for Arizona initiative. Emily Anne played a leading role in growing the two-person research shop into a thriving foundation with three major initiatives including A for Arizona, Chamber Business News, and the Arizona Industry Fellows. Under her direction, the Foundation published critical policy briefs and research on topics dedicated to expanding economic opportunity in Arizona such as K-12 education reform, water and the Drought Contingency Plan, and trade with a focus on the USMCA and its impact on Arizona. At A for Arizona, Emily Anne designed, implemented, and facilitated first-of-their-kind initiatives and solutions to rapidly increase the number of low-income students attending Arizona’s top-performing public schools.