Goodwin Liu on the Second Amendment
Originally published on Volokh.com Boalt Hall Associate Dean Goodwin H. Liu has been nominated to serve on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Some readers and Senators may be interested in his viewpoint on Second Amendment and other constitutional issues related to firearms policy. So here’s an excerpt from his article Separation Anxiety: Congress, The Courts, And The […]
Private School Choice Helps Students, Saves Money? Lawmakers Say Too BAD; Lobbyists Make SHAMEFUL Claims
On consecutive days this week at the State Capitol, Colorado lawmakers once again killed two private school choice bills. HB 1295 and HB 1296 would have provided tax credits so families could choose a non-public school.
Even the fact that both bills w…
Education Problems Not Due to Lack of Funding
Through years of steadily rising revenues, lawmakers and education officials have not had enough incentive to deal with the long-term structural challenges that drive costs upwards without improving results. It is unfair and unproductive to scapegoat taxpayers for this reality.
Bill Summary: HB10-1330, the All-Payer Database: A Transparency Trojan Horse
Gives the Executive Director of Health Care Policy and Financing the power to create a database to collect and store unlimited information on everyone…
Time for Accountability in Colorado Teachers Union Release Time
Many Colorado school districts give teachers and other employees taxpayer-funded release time from their school duties to serve as union officers or to do other union business. Education policy analyst Ben DeGrow talks about his new report that finds very little accountability for the practice, even though evidence shows at least one example of political campaign work being done on release time.
Harrison School District Set to Transform Teacher Pay
El Paso County’s Harrison School District is preparing to radically change how its teachers are paid. Superintendent Mike Miles explains why Harrison is moving to the Effectiveness & Results Pay-for-Performance Plan, and what separates it from other reform efforts to change teacher compensation.
FasTracks on the Wrong Track
The Daily Camera (Boulder) asked its Editorial Advisory Board members their views of different sales tax schemes for funding RTD’s “FasTracks.” My reply was published on Saturday, February 13:
Adaptable commuter transit routes, reducing traffic congestion with demand-sensitive road pricing, and minimizing both free-riders and forced funding. These goals should guide transportation policy. Taxing everyone to fund static commuter rail puts FasTracks on the wrong track.
California Teachers Empowerment Network Makes Big Splash in Townhall Magazine
A big “sister” group of Colorado Independent Teachers that continues to make a big splash on the West Coast is the California Teachers Empowerment Network — letting teachers in the Golden State know about their various membership options. You may remember the radio ad exposing the NEA’s agenda that they aired last fall.
Well, now CTEN […]
Colorado Schools and Association Release Time: Making the Privilege Accountable to Citizens
For the sake of public accountability and transparency, Colorado needs more effective oversight of education employee association leave. Through locally negotiated policies, many Colorado school districts grant release time privileges to local employee associations. Teachers and classified employees are excused from professional duties to serve extended periods as association officers or to spend particular days performing various association-related activities.
From ACORN to Rainbow PUSH: AFT Members in Douglas County & Elsewhere Fund Causes
In Colorado, teachers have the choice to belong or not to belong to various membership organizations. Most teachers belong to the Colorado Education Association (CEA). But in a handful of districts, a union that belongs to the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is the bargaining agent. No place in our state is this more prominent […]
Free Colorado’s Liquor Stores from Prohibition-era Rules
Colorado unemployment rose back up to 7.5 percent in December. We remain in an economic slump. Gov. Bill Ritter has implemented and proposed a wide variety of net tax hikes and fees. The state budget remains in shambles.
Independent Thinking: Can The State Be as Transparent as Jeffco Schools?
Watch this 3-part YouTube replay of the February 5 broadcast of Independent Thinking with host Jon Caldara, as Jeffco Public Schools CFO Lorie Gillis and our own policy analyst Ben DeGrow discuss the growing trend of local governments opening up their checkbooks.
