Mica’s Retort to U.S. C. of C.
In recent months, the Antiplanner has wondered if Representative John Mica, chair of the House Transportation Committee, would act as a true fiscal conservative or revert to his old ways of pork barreling for his state and district. The reauthorization proposal he made last week provides one answer; another can be found in his response […]
New I.I. Video Highlights Douglas County Vouchers for Nate Oakley, 499 Other Kids
Today I’m going to step back and let someone else do the talking. You’ve probably been following the developments surrounding Colorado’s groundbreaking Douglas County Pilot Choice Scholarship Program. I’ve covered it a lot here. Since the promising program was approved in March, 500 students have won vouchers worth about $4,600 to help cover the cost […]
Why Some People Support High-Speed Rail
One reason some people support high-speed rail is that it provides an opportunity for all sorts of fact-finding missions, such as this trip to Europe. “High-speed rail is becoming a reality in the U.S.,” says the Transportation Research Board (a part of the National Acadamies, a supposedly private but actually government-funded and government-created group of […]
Utah Education Reform Leader Shares Insights on Cutting-Edge Digital Learning Law
On July 13, 2011, Parents for Choice in Education board chair and Digital Learning Council member Robyn Bagley shared with Colorado online educators, school leaders, experts and officials about Utah’s groundbreaking, paradigm-shifting Senate Bill 65. With the passage of this 2011 law, her state became the first to turn the recommendations of the Digital Learning Council into a comprehensive state policy.
School Districts “Eager” to Help in Educator Effectiveness Pilot, Questions Linger
Ed News Colorado and the Denver Post both report that 41 school districts have applied to participate in the pilot for the state’s new educator effectiveness law (aka SB 191). It’s not the first Colorado major education reform program of the year in which participation has exceeded all expectations. Yet, based on reports, questions still remain about when teacher tenure will begin to be affected by the new performance evaluations.
How the FDA Impedes Innovation
[I]nnovations get better over time. But if you impede the first generation the second generation may never come into existence and, as Mandel notes, no first-generation device could satisfy the FDA’s conditions. It’s like refusing to give the Wright Brothers a license to fly because their first airplane only flew for 59 seconds.
Food Deserts Don’t Make You Fat
Among the wacky ideas held by many urban planners is the notion that “food deserts”–that is, areas of cities without supermarkets–contribute to obesity. According to this theory, people who lack access to supermarkets eat many unhealthy meals at fast food restaurants. This reasoning is used to justify subsidies to supermarkets–often financed through TIF–in those areas. […]
Massachusetts Innovation Schools Expand, But Colorado Needs to Take a Close Look
(H/T Adam Emerson, RedefinED) From yesterday’s Boston Globe, the innovation school idea is starting to take off in Massachusetts:
“It’s really catching fire,’’ said Paul Reville, the state’s education secretary. “I would predict innovation schools in a relatively short period of time could surpass the number of charter schools in the state if the growth continues […]
“Accountable Care Organizations”: The Coming Collectivization of American Health Care
In the 1930s, the USSR forced independent farmers into large state-run collective farms. … these collective farms could not feed the country. … Unfortunately, the United States is about to make the same mistake in health care by collectivizing doctors and hospitals into government-supervised accountable care organizations (ACOs).
Another County Heard From
The Antiplanner is leaving tomorrow for DC for another Hill briefing on transportation. In the meantime, you can read this article about Mica’s reauthorization proposal if you aren’t already tired of the subject.
New Jay Greene Book, Dougco Site Brighten School Choice Landscape
It’s July. School is out for the summer. Education news tends to be slow. To top it all off, your local edu-blogging prodigy is spending extra time at the swimming pool, and occasionally gets wrapped up in frustrating games of Angry Birds on his dad’s iPhone. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few things […]
PUC under the microscope
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and the three appointed commissioners find themselves under even more scrutiny. This morning the Legislative Audit Committee voted unanimously to proceed with a full blown audit of the embattled commission. Last month we reported that Senators Scott Renfroe and Steve King, members of the audit committee, sent a letter […]
