Colorado Coalition of Cyberschool Families: Legislative Advocacy

Challenge

Colorado online school students often face significant barriers to participating in state assessments. Unlike their peers in traditional public schools, virtual school students have been required to travel to in-person testing centers — often hotel meeting rooms — with unknown proctors. This creates logistical and financial hardships for families, heightened test anxiety, and – in combination with state law allowing parents to opt their children out of testing – has led to disproportionately high opt-out rates for virtual schools.

A Colorado Coalition of Cyberschool Families (CCCF) survey found that 68% of cyberschool families had previously opted out of state assessments, and 69.31% planned to continue opting out. Key reasons included distance to testing sites (25.25%) and travel difficulties (30.61%). As a result, the Colorado Department of Education lacked comprehensive data to accurately evaluate cyberschool student performance — reinforcing misconceptions about virtual education.

As the CCCF coalition manager, Novitas Communications built a comprehensive communications and advocacy campaign in support of legislation that would allow K-12 online school students to take state assessments remotely in their familiar learning environment while also ensuring the integrity of testing.

About

The Colorado Coalition of Cyberschool Families (CCCF) is a group of dedicated parents and volunteer advocates for full-time online public schooling in Colorado. Their common bond: ensuring the best possible education for children and protecting the right of families to choose online public schools. CCCF believes all children should have free and equal access to public online schools without restrictions.

The legislation in question would allow online schools to offer remote state assessments to their students in a setting that aligns with the student’s regular educational instruction. Under the law, students take the assessment at a designated date and time in a synchronous session managed by school staff, using a device with a camera so a proctor can monitor the student via video for the duration of the assessment. The bill was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis and included $440,000 in state funding to support schools beginning the next school year.

Solution

Novitas developed and executed a multi-channel communications and legislative advocacy campaign to build public and legislative support for the legislation from bill introduction through Governor’s signature.

Key activities included:

Legislative & Advocacy Support

• Equipped volunteer CCCF coalition members and parent advocates to correspond directly with the four bipartisan bill sponsors — Sen. Paul Lundeen, Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, Rep. Rose Pugliese, and Rep. Barbara McLachlan — by developing messaging guidance and recognition materials.
• Supported two CCCF board members in testifying before House and Senate Education Committee hearings by providing tailored talking points and supportive messaging.
• Coordinated outreach to the Colorado Department of Education’s Office of Blended and Online Learning to cultivate third-party support — including personally inviting department staff to attend CCCF’s Annual Day at the Capitol, where their presence at the West Steps rally helped demonstrate institutional awareness of the bill and its implications for virtual student data.

Day at the Capitol

• Planned and executed CCCF’s Annual Day at the Capitol on February 8th — Colorado Digital Learning Day — drawing approximately dozens of families.
• Developed and distributed a media advisory and press release to approximately 110 print, television, radio, and online contacts statewide — supplemented by individual follow-up pitching — securing earned media coverage in Colorado Politics, The Colorado Springs Gazette, and Our Community Now on the event and the legislation.
• Organized a rally on the West Steps of the Colorado Capitol, including distribution of Golden Apple Awards for bill sponsors, and morning programming at History Colorado.
• Coordinated video production to capture family and student testimonials for use on CCCF’s social media and website.

Content & Materials Development

• Developed a one-pager fact sheet on the legislation detailing the need for remote testing, key statistics, and bill provisions.
• Drafted 12 letters to the editor (LTEs) on behalf of online school parents across Colorado, covering themes of equity, test anxiety, rural access, and academic performance.
• Produced a social media campaign calendar with 17+ ready-to-post messages across Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram, spanning bill introduction through Governor’s signing.
• Posted 51 social media posts on the legislation across platforms.

Media & Messaging Strategy

• Developed key messaging and supporting data points anchored in CCCF survey findings and independent research on remote testing outcomes.
• Engaged media across the state to amplify the voices of cyberschool families and build public pressure in support of the bill.

Results

The advocacy campaign was a success. The legislation passed both chambers of the Colorado General Assembly with bipartisan support and was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis that June. The new law:

• Allows online schools to offer remote state assessments to students in a setting aligned with their regular learning environment.
• Provided $440,000 in state funding to support schools in implementing remote testing beginning the next school year.
• Positions Colorado alongside Oregon, Virginia, Arkansas, Kansas, Utah, and West Virginia as a national leader in equitable online student assessment.

The Day at the Capitol garnered media coverage in three outlets and brought dozens of individuals to the Capitol steps to advocate for the bill. CCCF’s social media audience grew across all platforms during the campaign, with Instagram engagement rates reaching as high as 75%.

With the passage of the legislation, Colorado virtual school students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their academic progress in their familiar learning environment — and the Colorado Department of Education will gain a more accurate picture of virtual student performance statewide.