The Montezuma-Cortez RE-1 school board voted Tuesday night to end, or formally confirm the end of, the district’s relationships with two outside education organizations, continuing a series of changes under the board elected last year.
In separate actions, board members voted 5-1 to formally confirm the district is no longer a member of Education reEnvisioned BOCES, then later approved canceling the district’s membership with Colorado Leaders for Academic Success, also known as CLAS.
The votes come after the most recent school board election changed the board’s makeup. Mike Lynch, who opposed leaving both organizations during Tuesday’s meeting, is the only remaining member from the board’s previous majority.
Education reEnvisioned BOCES
Education reEnvisioned BOCES, often called ERBOCES, is a statewide Board of Cooperative Educational Services. Unlike regional San Juan BOCES, which Montezuma-Cortez RE-1 continues to use for shared services such as special education support, ERBOCES has operated as a statewide authorizer for alternative and online education programs.
The organization has drawn statewide attention in recent months for authorizing Riverstone Academy, a school described by supporters as a Christian public school. The school is part of an ongoing legal dispute over whether publicly funded charter schools may provide religious instruction.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Lynch questioned whether the board needed to vote on the matter, saying the district had already received documentation showing it was no longer affiliated with the group.
“This feels like an unnecessary motion,” Lynch said. “We’ve already received documentation showing that we’re no longer associated with them.”
Other board members said a formal vote would clarify the district’s status in the public record.
Colorado Leaders for Academic Success
The board also voted to cancel its membership with Colorado Leaders for Academic Success.
CLAS is a statewide organization that offers training, networking, governance resources, and legislative advocacy for school board members and education leaders. The group promotes school choice, parental rights, academic accountability, and charter school expansion.
Supporters say the organization provides governance resources for local board members, while critics say it reflects a more ideological approach to education policy.
Lynch defended the group during Tuesday’s meeting, saying other board members had little direct experience with it and noting the district’s membership had no cost this year.
A broader shift
Taken together, Tuesday’s votes continue a series of governance changes under the district’s current board, which also recently selected new legal counsel.
The district remains a member of San Juan BOCES, meaning core shared local services are not expected to be affected by Tuesday’s action.
A video recording of the meeting is available on the district’s YouTube channel.
