Wed. Nov 27th, 2024

(Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline)

Colorado voters appear to have rejected Amendment 80, according to preliminary election results Wednesday.

Amendment 80 proposes to enshrine the “right to school choice” in the Colorado Constitution.

Results show that 52% of Colorado voters rejected the measure as of 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. The Associated Press had yet to call the race.

The measure defines school choice as including “neighborhood, charter, private and home schools, open enrollment options, and future innovations in education,” and would also add constitutional language affirming that “parents have the right to direct the education of their children.”

The measure was backed by Advance Colorado, a conservative “dark money” group that has spent millions of dollars to influence state elections in recent years but does not disclose its donors.

A campaign opposing the amendment had the support of Colorado teachers unions and a long list of liberal and progressive groups.

Colorado already has some of the nation’s strongest school choice laws, according to rankings updated annually by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. Opponents of Amendment 80 say it’s unnecessary and argue that constitutionally protecting access to private schools is the “first step” toward a voucher program that would divert public school funding towards private and religious institutions.

As a constitutional measure, Amendment 80 needed at least 55% of the vote to pass.

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