WOODLAND PARK, Colo. (KOAA) — On August 13, the Woodland Park School District Board of Education approved a 30-year contract extension with Merit Academy, the district’s existing charter school, during a board meeting.

The long-term agreement is intended to help Merit Academy secure funding for building improvements, but it has raised questions about the approval process, and what it means for students, taxpayers, and the district’s future.

Board member Keegan Barkley, the sole vote against the contract, expressed concerns about both the length of the agreement and the process leading up to its approval.

“We had a discussion around a 30-year contract extension on the current charter school that’s already in the district. And really, from my perspective, this contract was pushed through

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