“Stimulus” Education Dollars Little More Than Jobs Program for K-12
Given the significant debt future generations are now obligated to repay, President Obama’s new “stimulus” law could be far better used to promote meaningful education reform in Colorado.
Is Colorado Helping Quality Teachers Stick Around?
In what areas are Colorado state policies working well to keep high-quality teachers in classroom jobs, and what areas need the most improvement? Sandi Jacobs, vice president of the National Council on Teacher Quality, talks about her group’s newly-released State Teacher Policy Yearbook and where Colorado fits into the picture.
If You Can't Defend It, Don't Spend It
Education policy analyst Ben DeGrow joins host Amy Oliver to explain the case for Colorado school districts opening up their detailed financial records so taxpayers can search them online, as highlighted in his new issue backgrounder “Shining the Light on Colorado School Spending”. Colorado has the chance to become a national leader in online financial transparency in education.
Independent Thinking: Transparency for Colorado School Districts
Watch this 3-part YouTube replay of the January 26 episode of Independent Thinking with host Jon Caldara. Guests citizen activist Natalie Menten and Independence Institute policy analyst Ben DeGrow discuss spending transparency in Colorado school districts and pending legislation.
Financial Transparency Strengthens the Public in Public Education
Colorado has a tremendous opportunity to lead the way in making public education a more truly public enterprise by pursuing policies that promote true financial transparency.
Charter School Building Dollars at Risk
Jim Griffin, executive director of the Colorado League of Charter Schools, makes the case why facilities grant funding for public charter schools should be preserved as promised, and not cut. As he explains, charters are already at a disadvantage with other public schools in the amount of money they receive to purchase property and take care of construction, maintenance, and renovation.
Do Unions and Charter Schools Mix?
Recent news of the American Federation of Teachers organizing teachers in two KIPP charter schools in New York City raises the profile of the growing movement to unionize charter schools. Syndicated columnist and former Colorado education commissioner William Moloney discusses the significance of the news in the broader context of growing Democrat support for charter schools in Colorado and nationally, as well as the efforts of labor officials to advance costly and intrusive card-check legislation in Congress. The chances of academic success for many American students’ may be at stake.
Shining the Light on Colorado School Spending
In the interest of expanding public accountability and economic efficiency, Colorado school districts, charter schools, and other local public education agencies ought to follow the lead of state government by exploring online financial transparency.
In Picking Duncan as Schools Chief, Obama Sides with Kids
In picking Arne Duncan, President-elect Obama has sided with the reformers, putting children’s needs over grownups’ jobs.
Colorado’s Homeschool Law Turns Twenty: The Battle Should Never Be Forgotten
As explained by author Marya DeGrow, conflict between some Colorado public school districts and parents led to the adoption of a 1988 legislative bill that established guidelines for home education.
Retirement Windfall for Denver’s K-12 Employees
Public educators receive a generous deal in their defined benefit pension packages, but exactly how much more are they getting than through a conservative investment of the contributions into their retirement account? In Denver Public Schools, the average “lump sum deferred compensation” value is more than $600,000! Listen to Dr. Michael Mannino from the University of Colorado Denver explain this figure and the other findings of his new Independence Institute report, Deferred Retirement Compensation for Career K-12 Employees: Understanding the Need for Reform.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Will President Obama's School Reform Bring the Change Kids Need?
Barack Obama aspires to be an education president, but what kind of education president will he be? As a candidate, Obama has taken conflicting positions. Both the anti-reform National Education Association and the reformist Democrats for Education Reform claim him as their own. An analysis of candidate Obama’s education platform reveals elements of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
