Offer greater school choice in Colorado
Gov. Ritter’s inaugural address stated a worthy goal: “To provide employers the best educated workforce in the nation, reduce the dropout rate, and close the achievement gap.” The governor should start with looking at the most successful public schools in the state. If he did so, he could see that school choice increases student achievement. The logical next step would be to place the public school system in the hands of “professional parents.”
Benigno Calls for More School Choice to Increase Student Achievement
Pam Benigno explains why Colorado lawmakers should expand school choice and opportunities for parents to take charge of their children’s education.
Milton Friedman: The Father of School Choice
Policy Analyst Ben DeGrow interviews Education Policy Center Director Pam Benigno about Economist and School Choice Advocate Milton Friedman’s impact on School Choice.
Union Bill Attacks Workers’ Rights
Education Policy Center director Pam Benigno interviews policy analyst Ben DeGrow regarding Colorado House Bill 1072. If the bill becomes law, what does it mean for Colorado businesses and workers’ choices?
HB 1072: Empowering Union Leaders, Not Workers
House Bill 07-1072 threatens to unsettle the balance of power between employers and unions established by the 1943 Colorado Labor Peace Act. The Act requires a majority vote of secret ballots cast to approve union representation. But the bill would eliminate a second election in which employees decide whether to force dissenting co-workers to pay union dues or agency fees. Under HB 1072, workers could only reject a coercive all-union agreement by also rejecting the entire negotiated union contract. Because it limits choices both for union members and for non-union member workers, the bill is at odds with basic fairness.
Washington Education Association goes to Court
Education policy analyst Ben DeGrow discusses the important Washington Education Association case before the U.S. Supreme Court and the effects a likely ruling may have on Colorado.
Top Performing Schools
Education policy analyst Ben DeGrow explains why Colorado’s top performing
Romanoff Task Force Should Hear from Wide Range of Voices
Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff has focused his sights on a long-term overhaul of the state’s public education system. Yet any serious conversation to transform K-12 education in Colorado should include more than the list of usual interest group suspects.
Arizona Scholarships for Foster Care and Special Needs Students Under Attack
Read this news release from the Institute for Justice, on Arizona’s publicly funded scholarship programs.
Election Night 2006 And School Choice
Education Policy Director Pam Benigno and Education Policy Analyst Ben DeGrow discuss the effects on school choice and finance.
Right Side? Wrong Reasons
Requiring school districts to spend more money in the classroom seems to offer a powerful solution to the problems of public education. But a closer look shows the approach won’t be as effective as some would hope.
Amendment 39 in Colorado
Is Amendment 39 a good idea for Colorado? Find out and get the facts. Listen as Jon Caldara Interviews Ben DeGrow of the Education Policy Center.
