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Colorado Opportunity Contract Program
Colorado Congress of Parents, Teachers and Students v. Owens
Institute for Justice and Colorado Parents Defended School Choice in the Rocky Mountain State
In April 2003, Colorado attempted to become the first state in the nation to fulfill the promise of equal educational opportunity offered by the U.S. Supreme Court when it upheld Cleveland’s school choice program. Colorado approved legislation creating Opportunity Contracts, a voucher program to enable low-income families in the state’s poorest-performing school districts to send their children to private schools. Almost immediately, lawyers for the Colorado Education Association, the National Education Association and other special interest groups filed a lawsuit attempting to block parental choice in Colorado. The Institute for Justice intervened in the case to defend the program on behalf of 12 Colorado families who wished to participate in the Opportunity Contract program. Six families were from Colorado Springs and six were from Denver; all hoped for a better life for their children through quality education. On June 28, 2004, however, the Colorado Supreme Court halted Colorado’s school choice program, striking it down under the “local control” provision of the Colorado Constitution.
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Essential Background
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Images
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Backgrounder: Securing Educational Opportunity For Colorado Families: Institute for Justice and Colorado Parents Defend Historic Parental Choice Program
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Client Photo - none available
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Client Video - none available
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Latest Release: In Narrow Ruling, Colorado Supreme Court Halts School Choice (June 28, 2004)
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Legal Briefs and Decisions
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none available
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Launch Release: Institute for Justice Pledges to Defend Historic Colorado School Choice Program (April 16, 2003)
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Case Timeline
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June 28, 2004: Colorado Supreme Court halted Colorado’s school choice program, striking it down under the “local control” provision of the Colorado Constitution
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December 3, 2003: Denver District Court Judge Joseph E. Meyer III struck down and enjoined program under “local control” provision of Colorado Constitution
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June 28, 2004: Colorado Supreme Court upheld decision striking down Opportunity Contracts
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Additional Releases
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Maps, Charts and Facts
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Release: Colorado Supreme Court to Decide Future of School Choice Program (May 25, 2004)
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Visit our comprehensive School Choice Media Kit
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Release: Institute for Justice and State File School Choice Briefs With Colorado Supreme Court (March 9, 2004)
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Op-eds, News Articles and Links
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Article: Campaign for Colorado Choice Continues (August 2004)
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Release: Colorado Parents Appeal Voucher Ruling, Ask Court to Continue Program During Appeal (December 9, 2003)
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Article: Colorado is Changing the Face of Vouchers (February 2004)
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Release: Denver District Court Strikes Down Historic Colorado School Choice Program (December 3, 2003)
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Article: Colorado School Choice Litigation Update (February 2004)
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Release: Denver District Court to Hear Oral Arguments On Colorado School Choice Program (November 12, 2003)
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Article: Save school choice program (December 4, 2003)
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Release: Colorado Judge Approves Parents’ Intervention To Defend School Choice Program (May 30, 2003)
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Article: IJ Defends Rocky Mountain Education Reform (August 2003)
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Release: Institute for Justice and Parents Intervene to Defend Colorado School Choice Program (May 29, 2003)
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Article: School-voucher backers go to court (May 30, 2003)
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Media Advisory: Colorado Parents Intervene to Defend Statewide School Choice Program (May 29, 2003)
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Release: Institute for Justice Vows To Defend Colorado Parents From Teachers’ Union Legal Attack (May 20, 2003)
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