Superintendent’s Message: Clarifying Student Transportation Between Districts

This week, I shared that Garfield Re-2 has asked the Roaring Fork School District, Two Rivers Community School’s authorizing district,  to follow Colorado law and discontinue transporting students who live within the Garfield Re-2 School District to their campus. 

I understand how this situation impacts families. When you’ve relied on a bus route to get your child safely to and from school, any change can be inconvenient and concerning. Families choose schools for deeply personal reasons, and I respect those choices.

However, this issue is not about limiting family choice. I support school choice. It’s about following the law, protecting Garfield Re-2 taxpayers, and ensuring fairness across districts.

Colorado is an open-enrollment state, which means families can choose to send their children to a school outside of their home district if they believe it’s the best fit. But with that choice comes the responsibility to provide transportation.

Colorado law (See § 22-30.5-106(1)(m)) is clear: a school district may only transport students who live in an adjacent district if both districts have formally agreed to the arrangement. While Garfield Re-2 and Roaring Fork are adjacent, Garfield Re-2 has never given consent for Roaring Fork — or its charter school, Two Rivers Community School — to operate bus routes through our district.

As part of the Roaring Fork School District, Two Rivers benefits from the protections, resources, and responsibilities of that district. That also means they are bound by the same legal and ethical obligations. It is ultimately Roaring Fork’s responsibility to ensure that all transportation provided under its umbrella complies with state law and respects district boundaries.

As your new superintendent, I have pledged to look for efficiencies, strengthen systems, and ensure every taxpayer dollar is used appropriately. When I discover areas where Garfield Re-2 students, families, or resources are being affected by another district’s decisions — or when statutory boundaries are crossed — it’s my responsibility to act.

Our goal is not to make life harder for any family or to create division between districts. Instead, we want to make sure all schools — traditional, charter, and otherwise — operate under the same transparent and lawful expectations.

Together, we will keep focusing on what matters most — providing safe, high-quality educational opportunities for every child in our communities.

Kirk Banghart

Superintendent, Garfield Re-2 School District