Elizabeth School District Unanimously Votes to Leave ERBOCES

Elizabeth School District is out.

The board voted unanimously Tuesday to sever its relationship with Education ReEnvisioned BOCES. The Monument-based agency drew scrutiny after authorizing what it called Colorado’s first “public Christian school.”

The move ends a short-lived partnership. Elizabeth joined ERBOCES in January. They’re leaving now.

Board President Rhonda Olsen didn’t mince words. She said the membership wasn’t providing sufficient benefits to justify continued participation. It’s a fresh start. A new approach.

Olsen emphasized the decision wasn’t about the noise on social media. It wasn’t political pressure. It was strictly about what’s best for the district.

Four of the five board members showed up. Mike Calahan, the treasurer, resigned in May. His absence didn’t stop the vote.

ERBOCES executive director Ken Witt didn’t respond to requests for comment. Silence from the top.

This matters because BOCES agencies are supposed to be lifelines. They connect small districts to services they can’t afford alone. Special education. Technology. Grants. Supplies. Colorado has 21 of these agencies. They serve more than 150 districts.

Elizabeth got in on the ground floor with ERBOCES. Now it’s cutting the cord.

Meanwhile, School District 49 in Falcon is watching. It’s the only other district part of ERBOCES. Its board meets Thursday. They’ll consider stepping back.

A memo from D49 Treasurer Mike Heil and Board President Marie La Vere-Wright says the board will “re-evaluate” the relationship. The reason? Recent developments.

The memo points to October. That’s when ERBOCES announced the opening of the “first Christian public school in Colorado.” The announcement happened right in the boardroom.

Since then, public scrutiny has mounted. The memo notes “emerging facts and controversies.” The board needs to weigh the organizational impact.

Riverstone Academy is the school in question. It started as a K-5 public elementary school. It was located at 1950 Aspen Circle in Pueblo. It was contracted with ERBOCES.

The controversy isn’t just about religion. It’s about whether a public school can be “Christian” in name and nature without violating state norms. ERBOCES bet on it. Elizabeth just bet against it.

The short version: Elizabeth doesn’t want the baggage. It doesn’t want the scrutiny. It wants a clean break.

D49 might follow suit. If Falcon pulls out, ERBOCES loses half its current membership. That’s a significant blow to a small agency.

Witt is still waiting. The Sun asked for comment. He didn’t give it.

Neighbors in Elizabeth will see the change immediately. Or they won’t. The services ERBOCES provided were supposed to be invisible — administrative support, specialized staff, bulk purchasing. If those services were lacking, as Olsen claims, locals might not notice the exit until the bills come due.

The board voted. The resolution is approved. The tie is cut.

Now comes the waiting game. Will Falcon jump? Will ERBOCES find a new partner? Or will the “first Christian public school” become the last thing people remember about the agency?

Read that again. The school was authorized. The district is leaving. The agency is silent.

It’s a clean exit. No drama. Just a vote and a departure.