Judge tosses Douglas County's school voucher program

A Denver District Judge has ordered Douglas County schools to suspend a program that allowed parents to use vouchers at private schools.

The Denver Post reported that Denver District Judge Michael Martinez on Wednesday ruled that Douglas County's School Choice Grant Program is not substantially different from its predecessor the Choice Scholarship Program, which was struck down by the Colorado Supreme Court as unconstitutional last year.

After the high court ruled that Douglas County's voucher program violated the state constitution's ban on using public funds for religious schools, the district in March introduced a new program that would allow taxpayer money to help cover non-religious private schools.

Martinez ruled that the new program was too similar to the previous program.