Charter school supporters on Tuesday night packed Boulder Valley’s school board meeting to urge the district to continue to give charters an equal share of tax increases approved by voters.

The schools recently sent letters to parents warning them that “BVSD is actively looking for ways to significantly reduce local funding” and would be discriminating against charter schools.

The concerns were prompted by recent school board discussions on how to handle a new state law, passed in 2017, that requires school districts to share mill levy override money with their charter schools.

Under the law, the amount owed is based on a charter’s enrollment numbers, with districts required to hand over at least 95 percent of that amount. Boulder Valley already meets that requirement for all but one if its five charter schools.

Districts also can develop an alternate plan by July 1 to share revenue based on student need — and that possibility is generating the concern for Boulder Valley’s charter schools.

Boulder Valley’s current proposal, based on school board feedback, is to give charter schools 95 percent of their share of the tax increase revenue or the amount specified in their contracts with the district, whichever is greater.

All the charter schools would continue to receive the same amount except Justice High, which would see an increase starting in the fall of 2019.

While the proposed resolution maintains the status quo, it also includes a clause allowing the school board to make future changes. The changes would be based on how many students a charter school enrolls in certain populations, such as low-income and special education students.

“We just need the placeholder,” said school board member Kathy Gebhardt.

Board members were divided on whether that placeholder is a good idea.

“We’re creating another year of anxiety with a placeholder,” said board member Shelly Benford. “They’re doing a great job. There’s no reason to cut their funding in any way.”

But board member Kitty Sargent said the placeholder would give time to work on a plan to more equitably fund its schools.

“We would be missing an opportunity,” she said.

Local charter school leaders say Boulder Valley was held up as a model during discussions about the law.

Legislators, they said, were concerned about equity given that many other districts around the state don’t share much, or any, of the revenue with their charter schools — and reducing revenue would be contrary to the intent.

Most of the speakers at Tuesday’s meeting were from Peak to Peak, a K-12 charter school in Lafayette, and Boulder Prep, an alternative charter high school in Gunbarrel.

Kelly Reeser, Peak to Peak’s executive director of education, said the school would take legal action if the board reduces funding because it would conflict with the school’s 10-year contract with the district, which was approved in 2015.

“Our students are also your students,” she said. “We believe they deserve to be funded at the same level.”

Boulder Prep teachers talked about the unique needs of at-risk students and the low student-to-teacher ratios required to meet those needs. Designated by the state as an alternative education campus, at least 90 percent of the school’s students qualify as at-risk.

Teacher Kenny Gillis said the school’s staff meets three hours every week to discuss each student. Students’ needs include a safe place, respect, trust, connection and someone to show them their true potential, he said.

“We notice the little things,” he said. “We know graduation is the goal, but some days all we can do is keep students alive.”

Several Boulder Prep graduating seniors also spoke, saying the school is a family and crediting teachers for getting them to graduation.

“It’s become my home and family and inspiration,” senior Will Cohn said. “Boulder Valley is lucky to have a school like this in the district.”

The school board plans to continue talking about the issue at its June 12 meeting.

Amy Bounds: 303-473-1341, boundsa@dailycamera.com or twitter.com/boundsa