Five-Year-Old ProComp Competes for Reform Attention, Awaits Final Evaluation
Denver’s Professional Compensation System for Teachers has received a great deal of attention through the years from those interested in education policy and reform. (Just Google “ProComp” if you want to see what I mean.) So it’s certainly no surprise to see the Denver Public Schools celebrate ProComp’s fifth birthday. Somehow, ProComp has caught up […]
Students Now Can Apply for DougCo Choice Scholarships, Final School List TBD
Today is an important day for families interested in Douglas County School District’s brand new, groundbreaking Choice Scholarship Program. Student applications are now available. Completed forms are available either online or as a hard copy to download and print. The district will accept application forms through next Thursday, May 12, at 5 PM. To be eligible students must be Douglas County residents and currently attend a DCSD school since at least last August.
Falcon 49 Takes Another Noteworthy Bold Step in Following Innovative Path
About four weeks ago I raised the question about Falcon School District 49’s school buses at the State Capitol stunt: Are they serious about tough decisions ahead? Well, in a story reported this week by the Colorado Springs Gazette’s Kristina Iodice, the answer appears to be Yes:
A staffing plan that eliminates 143 jobs, including teaching […]
Open Negotiations Should Be Consistent Practice
Jefferson County citizens deserve open and accountable government. If school budget and union negotiations can be hidden from view without majority approval from the Board, however, real accountability is lacking. The collective bargaining agreement that gives the Jefferson County Education Association (JCEA) exclusive representation more than 5,000 district teachers plainly sets transparency as the default setting. Nevertheless, the language is hollow.
Cincinnati Study, Step Up for Colorado, Bolster SB 191 Implementation Success
There’s more to creating good policy than just passing a good law. This is especially true when it comes to big changes, like Colorado Senate Bill 191’s push to update how teachers are evaluated and retained. It wasn’t that long ago I expressed my concerns about the implementation.
A couple weeks ago the co-chairs of the […]
Is Momentum Growing for Open School Union Negotiations in Colorado?
Transparency. Good government. Conducting public business in the light of day. I happen to think these are more than trite phrases and ideas. If you’ve been following my coverage of the dispute over opening union bargaining sessions in Colorado Springs School District 11, you have an idea of what I mean.
Yesterday my Education Policy Center […]
Successful Arizona Blended Learning Charter Shows Colo. Can “Seize the Day”
Check out a new School Reform News feature story by Ben DeGrow about Arizona’s cutting-edge Carpe Diem Collegiate High School and Middle School, a public charter that has pioneered a unique blended learning model and has achieved some remarkable results with students. The school’s innovations may hold great promise for reformers in Colorado. Perhaps the article will inspire education transformers to Seize the Day and make a difference for current and future learners in our great state.
Hoosier School Reform Daddy?: Voucher Plan Advances, Bargaining Bill Signed
Just to be clear up front, I’m not necessarily implying any sort of superiority from the Hoosier State. Not at all. It’s far more about having a little Friday fun with puns. After all, it’s fun to revel in the news from the Foundation for Educational Choice:
The Indiana Senate today passed legislation that would create […]
Not the Time for Education Schools to Resist Transparent Review Process
A few days ago I told you about the recent Denver visit from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ)’s Sandi Jacobs, but I never really got to the interesting part: the main part of her presentation. She came to talk about the big project NCTQ and U.S. News and World Report have launched to […]
Douglas County Reports 28 Private Schools Apply to Accept Voucher Students
Update, 12:30 PM: The Denver Post says it’s 27 schools, not 28 — as stated on the Douglas County web page linked below. Looks like 27 is the correct number, if you count multiple campuses of Denver Christian and the Denver Street School as one school each. The Post also says 8 of the schools […]
Hoping Colorado’s New Education Commissioner Will Be a Chief for Change
Yesterday the Colorado State Board of Education was in deliberations to interview and consider one or more applicants for the state’s next education commissioner. Right now everything is in the hush-hush, so don’t even bother to ask me who any of the finalists are. Why? Because I don’t know.
The new commissioner is scheduled to be […]
The Call to Customize Schooling
Rick Hess, director of educational policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute and co-editor of the new book Customized Schooling, explains why reformers need to move beyond “school choice” and other whole-school solutions to address challenges facing public education.
