More than half of the applications submitted by private schools eager to participate in Colorado's new voucher program were approved by today's deadline.

In total, the 11 Front Range school districts required by state law to participate in the voucher plan received 449 applications. The districts, typically via their school boards, accepted 267 applications for a 59 percent approval rating.

The districts denied another 182 applications, typically for failure to file required paperwork such as fire department inspection reports or for discrimination against children with special needs.

State law says districts can deny vouchers to schools that discriminate based on "race, color, religion, national origin or disability."

In Colorado Springs District 11, one private school made "a blatant statement of discrimination," said Deputy Superintendent Glenn Gustafson. "They said flat out, we cannot accept special needs students."

Some school districts were more exacting than others. In Westminster, only four of 44 applications were accepted. Similarly, in Commerce City, only five of 43 applications won approval.

In both Adams County districts, school boards turned down schools affiliated with the Catholic Archdiocese of Denver, citing a policy on students with special needs. The policy states special needs students would not be denied admission "unless this disability seriously impairs the student's ability to complete successfully the school's academic program."

Private schools whose applications were denied have 30 days to file an appeal with the State Board of Education. The board is expected to hear its first appeals in December.

The Colorado Alliance for Reform in Education will assist private schools with their appeals, said Jorge Amaya, parent outreach coordinator for CARE.

That includes possible help for Silver State Baptist in Lakewood, whose voucher application was denied in both Denver and Jefferson County because a school policy calls for the expulsion of homosexual students.