2021
Nov. 2021
- Colorado’s school board races reflected state’s shifting political ground | Chalkbeat
- When Sarah Fishering won her Montrose school board seat in 2017, the race was hard-fought but always collegial. She and her opponent jokingly referred to each other as running mates because they spent so much time together at forums and events.
- Fishering spent $115 on her campaign. One of her more extravagant expenditures was two-sided printing so she could put a children’s worksheet on a campaign flier.
- This year felt much different. A GOP-sponsored candidate forum seemed designed to favor a conservative slate of challengers pledging to uphold traditional moral values, Fishering said. Her opponent from that slate raised more than $1,000, so Fishering overcame her discomfort and asked supporters for money, too.
2023
Oct. 2023
- Political non-profit backs Montrose school board candidates with campaign support
- According to TRACER, the state’s campaign finance disclosure website, Ready Colorado spent over $12,200 toward campaign mailers supporting Neisha Balleck, Charlane Oswald, Dawn Shieldt and Ted Valerio.
- Front Range PAC injects funds into Montrose school board races
- Ready Colorado Action Fund, based out of Greenwood Village, recently sent out mailers to local voters urging them to vote for school board candidates Neisha Balleck, Ted Valerio, Charli Oswald and Dawn Schieldt. The organization funded two rounds of mailings, each costing $6,142, for a total expenditure of more than $12,000, according to filings with the Colorado Secretary of State.
2024
Mar. 2024
- School board elections result in philosophical split | Montrose Press
- “While local school board races — a non-partisan affair — have traditionally not attracted much political energy, this election season has been different — in Montrose, around the state and nationwide. Mirroring other districts, Montrose’s school board races attracted funding from an out-of-the-area political action committee aiming to get conservative members elected to local school boards. While such politicization of school board seats sometimes involves debates pertaining to conservative-sphere trigger-issues — such as the teaching of critical race theory, or CRT, and the specter of LGBTQ indoctrination — the binding element amongst the collective of Montrose candidates was the concept of diverting public education funding so that students could use it to pay for private educations; while this funding issue falls to the state level, it remains a unifying rally cry among local-level conservative education advocates.“
April 2024
- Is Montrose due a charter school? — Alexander explores classical option with MCA
- According to its website, the Montrose Classical Academy will offer students and families a classical education. The charter will aim to “provide every student with a content-rich classical education that will enhance their lives and enable them to become virtuous, productive, and self-reliant individuals.” MCA will deemphasize a reliance on technology and instead lean into “the type of education developed and passed down through centuries, from the ancient Greeks, to our Founding Fathers.”
- The true, the good, the beautiful — the red flag? MCA charter school proponents answer questions, address concerns
- “These books have lessons about about what is true, what is good, what is beautiful,” explained Kim Gilmartin, founder of Liberty School Initiative, an organization that assists community members in establishing charter schools. “
Oct. 2024
- Charter school effort moves forward, despite concerns
- Charter School Declined by School Board -The MCA Founding Board has notified MCSD’s lawyer of its “Intent to Appeal” to the Colorado State Board of Education.
2025
Feb. 2025
Mar. 2025
- Montrose School District votes on implementing state bill regarding chosen names
- The school board added a few provisions to the implementation, however. One provision is teachers must notify parents of a student’s desired chosen name.
- Another provision would allow for religious exceptions for teachers who don’t want to refer to a student’s chosen name. Instead, they’d be required to refer to the student by their last name.
Sept. 2025
- MCA to appeal Montrose school district’s rejection of charter … | Montrose Press
- MCA, reconsidered:Twice-rejected charter application will get … | Montrose Press
2025 School Board Election
- Mijares recalled; Copeland to fill seat as conservatives take school board races | Montrose Business Times
- What will Montrose’s school board look like following election sweep of ‘conservative’ candidates?; MCSD seats new board members Dec. 2 | Montrose Press
- The Balance Shifts — So-called ‘conservative’ members now … | Montrose Press
- District C school board seat illustrates cultural divide — Murphy hopes to keep putting her public education experience to work, while Scarborough stands ready to root out ‘woke’ | Montrose Press
Dec. 2025
- Vista Charter School seeks switch to state charter institute, pushes back on rumors | Western Slope Now
2026
Jan. 2026
- Vista’s request to move from MCSD to CSI comes back before the school board; Charter director and school district superintendent both cite ‘challenges’ — but for different reasons | Montrose Daily Press
- Montrose County releases oversight of Vista Charter School | Western Slope Now
- The Montrose County School District Board voted 5–2 Tuesday night to release oversight of Vista Charter School, allowing the school to operate under the Colorado Charter School Institute. The decision came after a four-hour meeting that included extensive public comment.
Feb. 2026
- Montrose County School District to consider hiring controversial Miller Farmer law firm | Anne Landman Blog
- MCSD staff alarmed at prospects of bringing Brad Miller to town; School district employees concerned attorney could have negative impacts | Montrose Press
- “I know a lot of what we do is we enforce the master contract agreement between UVEA and MCSD, which serves as protections, you know, that have been developed over the last 20 years with the school board,” Ayer continued. “So, there were concerns regarding that. I think people were worried that master contract could potentially be in jeopardy and people don’t want to see the things that make them able to serve the students go away.”
- Is this déjà vu all over again? MCSD board leadership risks losing the public’s trust | Montrose Press
- We know that Balleck and Valerio are champing at the bit to replace the school district’s current law firm Semple, Farrington, Everall & Case with the firm of Miller, Farmer and Carlson. Attorney Brad Miller is the lightning rod that has many crying for a foul. Miller has a history of using school districts to push his populist agendas, including the case against CHSAA concerning transgender males participating in female sports, the Pueblo school district public Christian charter school, amongst others.
March 2026
- Montrose school board votes to hire controversial law firm | The Daily Sentinel
- The decision to seek a change in legal counsel for the school district was kickstarted back in December, with an email Balleck sent to Montrose County School District Superintendent Dr. Carrie Stephenson. It was at that time that Valerio threw the Miller Farmer Carlson Law firm onto the table.
April 2026
- Montrose County School District warns of budget gap for 2026-27 school year | KJCT8
- MCSD board decides to place Olathe principal on leave, not the superintendent, and pause on school closure | Western Slope Now
- Elementary schools, superintendent survive unscathed — for now; MCSD school board plans to revisit school closure potential next year | Montrose Press
- Montrose school board votes 5-2 to hire controversial attorney Brad Miller’s law firm; ‘The people who voted for you support you, they pray for you, and they trust your judgment,’ board members are assured | Montrose Press
May 2026
- Inside the Debate Over Brad Miller and Conservative Education Policy in Western Colorado | KVNF
- The Politics of Public Education Take Center Stage in Montrose and Delta Counties | KVNF
June 2026
- MCSD Superintendent Dr. Carrie Stevenson placed on leave — and files a grievance against the board | KVNF
- Montrose superintendent placed on paid non-disciplinary leave during investigation | Western Slope Now
- Exiled, with an asterisk — Montrose school board puts superintendent on leave, while working; Stephenson unveils formal grievance, requests investigation and mediation | Montrose Press
- Superintendent Dr. Carrie Stephenson’s full remarks to the MCSD school board | Montrose Press
- The following is the full text from Superintendent Dr. Carrie Stephenson’s remarks to the MCSD Board of Education during the June 2 special meeting during which they placed her on paid leave. Also included is her introduction of the formal grievance she submitted to the board.
- YOUR VIEW: School board doesn’t need a dictator
- FROM THE PUBLISHER: Madam President, the artist formally known as Neisha Balleck
- Next steps, unknown — It’s unclear how MCSD will handle Superintendent Stephenson’s formal grievance detailing concerns with school board, attorney — district deferring to board president, attorney
- Superintendent’s grievance awaits in limbo; Hovde hopes for school board ‘reset’ — ‘Sometimes I feel like we’re a circus in the community and a disappointment’
July 2026
- In the silence of summer, a chance to talk — With no meetings scheduled until school starts, MCSD school board member Jody Hovde hosts ‘coffee chat’ Thursday to give community opportunity to dig into district issues
- Concerns brought forth from the community will likely be varied, ranging from the superintendent situation, to the potential for future school closures to the school board’s hiring of controversial legal counsel Miller Farmer Carlson Law.
- Concerns brought forth from the community will likely be varied, ranging from the superintendent situation, to the potential for future school closures to the school board’s hiring of controversial legal counsel Miller Farmer Carlson Law.
- MCSD administrator warns school board of ‘insidious erosion of norms,’ suggests booting Balleck from president’s seat; Valerio warns Pavlich to ‘remain cognizant of your role’; Special meeting scheduled for July 21
- Among other things, Pavlich expressed concern about the nature of the contract with the acting superintendent and raised questions regarding the newly-hired Miller Farmer Carlson Law firm and its ability to represent both the district and the board, and also generally described an upheaval in the district, one that “is creating an environment that increasingly places district leadership in ethical and professional quandaries.”
- After warning of ‘chaos,’ ‘insidious erosion of norms,’ top-level administrator heads for the family farm; Pavlich retiring weeks after calling to bring back superintendent & remove school board president
- Pavlich’s retirement letter this week comes on the heels of a July 1 letter he sent to the MCSD Board of Education. In that letter, he laid out a list of concerns and suggested remedies. He was, in general, critical of the direction the school board has taken lately, suggested it remove President Neisha Balleck from her leadership position and warned of the “insidious erosion of norms and organizational structure” within the district.
- Another concern he outlines concerns the Miller Farmer Carlson Law firm — a controversial firm known for representing conservative-leaning school boards and pushing legal boundaries — which he contends cannot represent both the board and district due to conflicting interests.
Sept. 2026
- Dr. Carrie Stephenson reflects on her resignation as superintendent of the Montrose County School District in open letter to community — ‘This is not how I imagined my service to MCSD would end’ | Montrose Press
- In my opinion, this Board majority wanted me gone. That was made clear publicly and privately. But wanting a superintendent gone is not the same thing as having cause. Disagreeing with a superintendent does not create cause. Being frustrated by a superintendent who expects the Board to follow policy, statute, and proper governance procedures does not create cause.
- What happened did not begin with an investigation. It began with a political shift on the Board of Education. Over the past several years, school board races in Montrose County, as well as around the country, became increasingly political. Candidates for MCSD ran as aligned slates, received support from partisan political organizations, and made public statements about wanting new leadership and wanting me replaced as superintendent. When those candidates became the majority on the Board, the climate changed immediately.
- Former administrator whose complaint led to Olathe Elementary investigation threatens lawsuit against Montrose County School District
- Purnell says that just days after he submitted the report, Dr. Stephenson reassigned him from Olathe Elementary to Peak Academy. Within nine months, Purnell says, Dr. Stephenson terminated not only his employment, but also his wife’s. Purnell believes his wife received adverse treatment because she asked for a copy of a slideshow outlining concerns about controversial attorney Brad Miller at a staff meeting.
- Purnell says that just days after he submitted the report, Dr. Stephenson reassigned him from Olathe Elementary to Peak Academy. Within nine months, Purnell says, Dr. Stephenson terminated not only his employment, but also his wife’s. Purnell believes his wife received adverse treatment because she asked for a copy of a slideshow outlining concerns about controversial attorney Brad Miller at a staff meeting.
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