Montezuma-Cortez schools add full-time online learning option in 2026

A Cortez student juggling a job, sports travel or a health issue will soon have a new way to stay enrolled in Montezuma-Cortez schools without sitting in a traditional classroom all day. Starting in fall 2026, Montezuma-Cortez RE-1 will open a full-time online learning path for students from sixth grade through 12th grade, while keeping them tied to district services, graduation and extracurriculars.

The district says the program will offer both hybrid and fully remote pathways. Depending on grade level, students may take one or two in-person classes each semester, and those who complete the program will be able to earn a diploma and take part in the high school graduation ceremony. For families deciding whether this is a true school option or just a computer-based add-on, that distinction matters: the district is trying to build a complete school experience, not a separate correspondence setup.

Course access is broader than the basics. Colorado Digital Learning Solutions says districts can use its online courses for AP, STEM, career and technical education, electives, credit recovery and enrichment, and Montezuma-Cortez says concurrent enrollment will also be available so students can earn college credit while still in high school. The district says students will receive academic, personal, career and college counseling support, along with help on scholarships, applications and financial aid forms. Technology resources and technical support will also be provided so families are not left to manage the system alone.

That support structure could help the program appeal to athletes with demanding schedules, working teens, students dealing with anxiety or medical needs, and families considering a move out of the district. It also keeps a door open to extracurriculars. The district says online students will be able to participate in activities, and Colorado law allows certain students to join extracurricular and interscholastic programs at schools they do not attend under specified conditions.

The new option arrives in a district that serves more than 2,550 students across six schools and three charter schools in Cortez, with a footprint that includes the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal reservation and nearby rural communities. It also lands in a region where enrollment is already a competitive issue. Dolores superintendent Alesa Reed has said student retention remains a concern, and noted Montezuma-Cortez’s new full-time online option as Dolores RE-4A develops mountain biking and fishing programs of its own to hold families.

Montezuma-Cortez has also dealt with online learning before. In 2020, the district said 600 students were learning remotely through Colorado Digital Learning Solutions, and it hired site coordinators to help families use the platform, solve technical problems and connect students with counseling and other support. Colorado’s Office of Online and Blended Learning, created under Senate Bill 215, supports online schools and programs statewide, giving the district a familiar framework as it moves toward the 2026-27 school year. More enrollment information will be posted as that rollout gets closer.