Amy Oliver Show: Union Takes Another Crack at Tenure Lawsuit
Luke Ragland from Colorado Succeeds talks about the ongoing implementation of Senate Bill 191 and the Colorado Education Association’s decision to appeal a pro-tenure reform court ruling.
COSFP’s School Funding, Instruction Story Not So Spooky with All the Facts
Yesterday I shared a really interesting survey-based analysis by Dr. Martin West that strongly suggests the average American has a good handle on how well their local schools perform, but a lot less accurate picture of how well their local schools are funded. On average, voters underestimate how much is spent per pupil by their […]
Americans Understand Their Schools, Just Not School Finance
All things considered, I think my school is pretty good. It’s got monkey bars, snack time, culturally enriching field trips, and shiny blue fish stickers. Oh, and my dad went there. If you’re thinking that those things aren’t very convincing measures of overall school quality, you’re right. Yet for a long time, factors like these […]
Buckle Up for the Ride, Colorado: The Testing Issue Isn’t Going Away Soon
Tests in schools, tests in schools. Why do I have a strange sort of feeling this issue isn’t riding off quietly into the sunset any time soon? First, we’ve got the entire hot mess known as Common Core (or maybe we should just follow Governor Hickenlooper’s advice and rename it “Colorado Core”?) and the new […]
Amy Oliver Show: Mom Responds to Arne Duncan on Testing
Cheri Kiesecker, a Fort Collins mom, discusses U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s recent remarks and other developments related to Common Core and standardized testing.
Building a Well-Rounded Education: Field Trips and Hamlet with Dr. Jay Greene
Sometimes my mom pokes fun at my dad for being a little portly. His response is always the same: “I’m just a well-rounded individual.” But while my dad’s goal (every year) is to make himself narrower around the middle, that may be exactly the opposite of what we want to see in our children’s education. […]
10/23/14
Education Policy Center Newsletter October 23, 2014
In this issue
— Center Tells Real Story behind Jeffco Showdown
— Despite Challenges, School Choice Presses Ahead
— Elections Loom Large in Colorado
— Eddie Stands Up for Fair and Responsible Retirement Benefits
Silly Season Won’t Last, So Find Out Candidate Stances on Key K-12 Issues
Oh, it’s the silliest, silliest season of the year. How do I know? My grandpa muttering under his breath when one more irritating political ad interrupts his otherwise enjoyable viewing of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. And the other night my mom crumpling up the latest campaign attack flier that came in our mailbox and […]
COLA Wars: Yesterday’s Colorado Supreme Court Ruling on PERA
My parents don’t often let me drink soda, but I like to think of myself as a Coca-Cola guy. Pepsi just doesn’t quite do it for me. And don’t even get me started on the off-brand colas. Big K Cola? Yuck! I have to admit, though, that I haven’t yet tasted this PERA COLA thing […]
Serious Discussion: Common Core Missteps Demand a Smarter Response
I’ve discovered a new way to make myself the least popular kid on the playground or at a birthday party. All I have to do is just come running in and say with my outdoor voice, “Hey, who wants to have a serious discussion about Common Core?” Rolling eyes. Blank stares. Condescending sneers. Befuddled head-shaking. […]
The Unfair Retirement PERA-chute: New Group Pushes for Pension Reform
Happy Friday, readers. I know we’ll all be starting our weekends in a few hours, but I think there’s time to squeeze in just a little more education policy before then. Today’s topic: reform efforts centered on Colorado’s Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA). I’ve written about PERA and some of its pitfalls before, but let’s […]
New Florida Video Sounds the Call for Return of the School Choice Jedi
A little over a month ago I pointed out how the Empire is striking back through the courts against successful school choice programs that help students and satisfy parents. The main front in the attack is Florida, where the teachers union and school boards association have sued to stop issuing tax credits, a way of […]
