Wisconsin & Douglas County (CO): Key Moment for Professional Teaching, Reform?
So I hear there’s this little election going on in Wisconsin today. As is so often the case, the political happenings are closely connected to the issues of our public school system. One of the nation’s leading education reform voices, RiShawn Biddle, has written a two-part series (here and here) highlighting the dilemma centrist Democrats […]
What Will High-Paying Boulder Valley Get for Boosting New Teacher Salaries?
What if I told you the Colorado school district with the second-highest average teacher salaries just dramatically increased compensation for new hires and is still figuring out how to pay for it?
A few days ago the Boulder Daily Camera reported that the Boulder Valley School District agreed to boost starting teacher salaries to one of […]
Devil’s Advocate: What is Blended Learning?
Tune in to Devil’s Advocate as host Jon Caldara is joined by Colorado Department of Education Assistant Commissioner Amy Anderson and Independence Institute senior policy analyst Ben DeGrow to discuss policy changes Colorado needs to make so students can have greater access to quality online course options and other customized learning opportunities. A growing number of “blended learning” models bring the traditional classroom and digital technology together in productive ways.
School’s Out, But Douglas County Summertime Happenings Worth Watching
School is out… Hooray!!! But in Douglas County, Colorado’s third-largest school district and a true hotspot of education reform, the summer months still give us plenty to which we can look forward. First, this month of June represents the final 30 days before the collective bargaining contract with the Douglas County Federation of Teachers (DCFT) […]
Winters: Give K-12 Schools More Freedom to Boost Bang for Taxpayers’ Buck
Using important data to formulate his argument, Manhattan Institute senior fellow Marcus Winters makes the case that it’s time to give all public schools the same type of freedom charter schools have in order to help ensure existing funds are spent more wisely and productively in support of an excellent K-12 education system. One thing is for certain: it wouldn’t make public education any less “public” than it is today.
Former Gov. Jeb Bush Headlines Denver ACE Luncheon with Inspiring Message
Has it been a whole year since the last big ACE Scholarships luncheon? Funny. I was still 5 then, too. Last time around it was my edu-reform crush Michelle Rhee, only a few months out of her famous tenure as chancellor of D.C. Public Schools, explaining her change of heart about vouchers and praising Douglas […]
Let’s Discuss Seriously How to Strengthen Successful Tuition Tax Credit Programs
What a hubbub. Having finally read last week’s desperate New York Times attack against K-12 tuition tax credit programs, I was left scratching my head. Really? The Old Gray Lady seems awfully cranky about school choice and short on facts or serious arguments when it comes to this one. In a way, it felt like […]
DeGrow Chimes In on Denver School CSAP Testing Investigation
A story today on American Family Radio News (One News Now) about the pending investigation of two Denver schools for testing irregularities featured comments from senior policy analyst Ben DeGrow. In an interview with reporter Bob Kellogg, DeGrow noted that for at least one school (Beach Court Elementary), the evidence of inappropriate action was “fairly […]
Let Money Follow Students to the Course Level
Senior education policy analyst Ben DeGrow explains the themes and proposals in his new report Online Course-Level Funding. He and Education Policy Center director Pam Benigno discuss how Colorado’s current school finance system is a hindrance to customized student learning options made possible by digital technology, and what specific policy changes need to be made.
Candidate Romney Proposes Moving the School Choice & Reform Ball Ahead
It’s not every day when my parents turn on the radio and get to hear education policy top the national news headlines. But yesterday Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave a big speech to explain why improving education was “the civil rights issue of our era, and it’s the greatest challenge of our time.”
Hardly […]
Building Brain Skills to Develop Early Literacy
Larry Hargrave, founder and executive director of nonprofit Cognitive First, explains how his “Project PASS” reading intervention program works to diagnose and improve student brain skills to build the fundamental ability of phonemic awareness. Hargrave shares anecdotes of the program’s early successes as the group looks to expand its presence in Colorado.
“True North” Report Calls on Denver Public Schools to Refocus, Raise the Bar
A team of local education reform groups has partnered to release the new report True North: Goals for Denver Public Schools. It’s a quick, worthwhile read for anyone interested in improving the outcomes of American urban education. Denver Public Schools is often cited as a reform model for districts in other cities across the land, […]
