How Long Can Colorado Stay in Top 10 for Strong Charter School Laws?
In the education reform world, you’ve got to be comfortable with the idea of assigning states grades and putting them on a scorecard. Why, it was just last week I highlighted Colorado’s top 10 finish — aided by the curve — on Student First’s inaugural State Policy Report Cards.
Well, once again Colorado has landed in […]
Liberty Watch Push for Open Union Negotiations Gains Traction in Loveland
It’s great to see more Colorado citizens demanding their tax-funded school districts conduct important business about personnel policies and special interest privileges in the public eye.
A petition by the grassroots group Liberty Watch to bring negotiation transparency and other union reforms to Thompson School District made its way onto the pages of today’s Loveland […]
EIA Reports $15 Million Spent by NEA Union on Advocacy Groups in 2011-12
Little Eddie has been so busy, his head is spinning. But I didn’t want to leave everyone hanging. If you are a teacher or know a teacher, you might encourage them to check out this new report from Mike Antonucci at the Education Intelligence Agency: [National Education Association] Gave $15 Million to Advocacy Groups in […]
Colorado, Be Wary of Reading Too Much into Cyberschool Critiques
One of the education proposals giving me the 5-year-old equivalent of heartburn as Colorado’s legislative session gets rolling is the attempt to add regulations to the state’s full-time online schools. For those who have been following the scene for any length of time, that probably sounds like a broken record (“like a damaged MP3 file” […]
Video Begs Question: What Would Union Leaders Like Tax Hike to Pay For?
A couple days ago I brought to your attention the looming heartburn the Colorado legislative session portends for those who support parental choice, school accountability, and the transparent, effective use of tax dollars in K-12 education. If you want to keep tabs on your needed antacid intake by checking the status of introduced legislation, you […]
Amy Oliver Show: Petitioning for Transparency in Thompson
Guest host Ben DeGrow talks with Loveland’s Nancy Rumfelt, citizen director of Liberty Watch. Rumfelt explains the petition she is circulating for the Thompson School District to operate more transparently and to stop underwriting union activities—common problems in Colorado.
Teacher Evaluation Debate Kicked Up by Gates Project Hits Colorado
If a person asked why he is doing something gives the response, “Because everyone else is doing it,” that usually won’t pass muster. If that person happens to be 5 years old, even if an accomplished blogging prodigy, you’d cut them a little slack… right? Today, it seems like everyone out there has something to […]
Looming Legislative Session Evokes More Heartburn than Hope for K-12 Issues
Run for cover, and hold onto your wallets! The first session of the 69th Colorado General Assembly is underway. While school finance reform (and an accompanying tax increase referral) stands at the head of the line, a slew of other K-12 issues can be expected to receive consideration — everything from teacher licensure to collective bargaining and a number of bureaucratic regulations. Supporters of school choice and reform ought to buckle up for a bumpy ride!
Top 10? Yes, But ‘C’ for Colorado on Students First Policy Report Card
Not too long ago I was telling you about new information out grading Colorado schools’ performance. But how is Colorado doing in applying policies that promote an excellent, equitable and efficient education system? Today the national group Students First released its first-ever State Policy Report Cards.
How did Colorado do? Depends how you look at it. […]
Can We Get a Truly Comparable Picture of State Graduation Rates?
A Friday quickie for readers to chew on. Back in late November, the U.S. Department of Education released the first-ever data where we could truly compare the rates at which students in different states are graduating high school on time. Unfortunately, Colorado’s 74 percent graduation rate put us in the bottom third.
But now that we […]
PBS Features Rocketship Education Charter Expansion, Continuing Innovation
“Nobody has figured out how to mass produce high-quality, cost-effective schools,” PBS correspondent John Merrow explained on a televised feature last week about the successful Rocketship Education public charter school network. Thanks to Joanne Jacobs for bringing to my attention the interesting 9-minute video about how to replicate an innovative and successful education model:
The piece […]
Amy Oliver Show: Colorado School Grades Keeps Tabs on School Performance
Scott Laband of Colorado Succeeds explains how the Colorado School Grades website provides users a clear picture of school performance. With the site’s recent update based on new testing data, parents can see how their child’s current school is doing or look for new options during upcoming open enrollment periods in many Colorado school districts.
