Hoping for Better than Political School Finance Kumbayah Next Year
It’s that time of year in Colorado. I’m not talking about the crazy weather, with all the wind, rain, and hail. No, I mean schools are getting out, graduations are taking place seemingly every day, and (hooray!) summer vacation is here at last. It’s also time for politicians to take a victory lap on the […]
Amy Oliver Show: K-12 Legislative Highlights Reveal Missed Opportunities
Rep. Kevin Priola discusses attempts in the last legislative session to change the school funding system, increase transparency, and reward great teachers.
Arizona, Florida ESAs Show How Colorado Could Help Kids Like Nathan
A couple months ago I was going wild and crazy (in a good way) with the news that the Arizona Supreme Court upheld the fabulous and liberating Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs). We remember a very important reason why a cutting-edge program like this one is so great when we hear directly from the families who […]
Colorado Course Choice Pilot Programs Have New Resource to Consult
Late in the session the Colorado legislature passed House Bill 1382, authorizing the creation of K-12 online education pilot programs. One pilot program area — funding student choices at the course level — has received some detailed help in the form of a policy strategy manual from the Fordham Foundation, to go along with our 2012 issue paper, Online Course-Level Funding.
Denver Post on School Safety Reporting Shows What’s Old Is New Again
Yesterday the Denver Post featured a lengthy story on troubles with school safety reporting. When I hear about a student being stabbed, beaten up, or having some property stolen, it makes me mad. Of course, those things happen. But then to see that a lot of these incidents aren’t being publicly reported with consistency, I […]
05/15/14
Education Policy Center Newsletter May 15, 2014
In this issue
— HB 1382 Marks Small Step Forward for Online Innovation
— Jeffco Front and Center in Fight for Local Reform
— DeGrow Praises Progress on Charter Funding
— National News: Kansas Joins Scholarship Tax Credit Ranks
— Roundup: Class-Size Reduction Examined and More…
Let’s Stop Shortchanging Colorado’s Charter Schools
Parents who choose a charter school are learning their children most likely are being shortchanged. While recent moves in Colorado would make progress toward evening up funds for charters, the quest for equity still has a long way to go.
International Report Shines Light on Colorado Education Performance Gap
Update, 5/14: RiShawn Biddle shares some further valuable insights into the PEPG report’s findings on his Dropout Nation website. Almost exactly one year ago to the day, I brought your attention to a report from America Achieves that showed our nation’s lackluster K-12 education results are by no means just a matter of poverty. This […]
How Can Jeffco Union Leaders’ Bad Faith Bargaining Be Good for Kids?
Once upon a time not so long ago in a land very close by occurred historic open negotiations between the Jeffco school board and the Jefferson County Education Association. Then union leaders staged an impasse and slammed the door shut. Transparency gone. Citizens were left in the dark. The open negotiations went away as the […]
Amy Oliver Show: Charter Schools Look for Fairer Funding
Colorado League of Charter Schools president Nora Flood explains the funding shortfalls public charter schools face compared to their district-run counterparts, discussing a groundbreaking new study and a controversial proposal in Jefferson County.
Amy Oliver Show: An Outside Look at Douglas County Reform
Heartland Institute education research fellow Joy Pullmann shares impressions from her recent visit to Douglas County, Colorado, as she explores how some schools seek to innovate rather than fall in line with the Common Core.
So Glad to Find Insights and Direction for HB 1382′s Online Pilot Programs
A somewhat overlooked education policy outcome from this year’s Colorado legislative session was the passage of House Bill 1382. Outside the realm of full-time online schools, where the legislation has real but not overwhelming impact, HB 1382 generally follows the recommendations of a short-lived K-12 Online Education Commission, which I told you about earlier. As […]
