DeGrow Talks Education Reform at Liberty on the Rocks
On October 25, senior policy analyst Ben DeGrow led a lively and thoughtful conversation on education reform Colorado-style with the Colorado Springs chapter of Liberty on the Rocks.
When It Comes to Education Reform, Not All Parent Groups Are Created Equal
A couple days ago I gave a 5-year-old’s shout-out to well-informed parents and a simplified process for families choosing to enroll their students into a DPS school to which they are not assigned. Any reasonable step we can take to facilitate families to make educational choices that better serve students’ needs is a good thing.
Making […]
Comprehensive National Study Deflates Knee-Jerk Anti-Charter Mythology
Some national critics have made a living off distorting the findings of a major national study on public charter schools. Knee-jerk reactions against charter schools lead some to use part of the findings that seem to support their conclusion and make sweeping generalizations. But a new comprehensive study for the Center on Reinventing Public Education reminds us that the big picture is more nuanced (and positive) than some critics would like you to believe. (May 2009 photo from Denver’s KIPP-Sunshine Peak Academy charter school.)
Hurrah for Well-Informed Parents and New Denver Public Schools Enrollment Process
Once upon a time I pointed readers to an interesting and thought-provoking article by education guru Rick Hess, titled “Does School Choice Work?” A couple of points Hess made in the article can stand to be repeated. First:
The biggest mistake pro-market school reformers have made can thus be put simply: They have mistaken choice for […]
Colorado Online Education: Fix the System
An investigative report and a requested legislative audit have shined a negative light on K-12 online education in Colorado. Michael Horn, executive director of education at the Innosight Institute, makes the case that students will benefit far more from updated funding, accountability and teacher policies than from an additional regulatory burden. Colorado can learn from recent changes made in Utah and from the new Nation’s Digital Learning Report Card that promote blended and full-time online learning options.
Ex-High-Ranking Philly Career Public Educator Vouches for School Choice
A Friday quick hit from Pennsylvania… It is noteworthy to see a career public educator, recently retired as superintendent of one of the nation’s largest school districts, go public in her support for expanded school choice not only through charter schools, but vouchers as well. I’m talking about former Philadelphia superintendent Arlene Ackerman, whose new […]
850 KOA's Mike Rosen Cites Center Research Data to Make Case against Prop 103
Writing in his weekly Denver Post column, leading local conservative commentator Mike Rosen cited research tabulated by the Education Policy Center’s senior policy analyst to show the large-scale changes in Colorado K-12 funding over the last decade: Complaints that public education spending in Colorado has been slashed in recent years conveniently ignore the big picture. […]
Prop 103 Not Good for Much But Inspiring My New Love of Toppling Dominoes!
A few weeks ago I told you how I colored all over the “Blue Book” explaining the arguments for and against the Proposition 103 “it’s for the kids” tax hike. While that was plenty of fun, I don’t think it compares to what my Independence Institute friends got to do yesterday with Prop 103:
Too bad […]
Research Strongly Suggests Denver ProComp Success, Room to Improve
Yesterday Denver-based and national researchers released the big evaluation of Denver’s ProComp teacher incentive pay program, often considered the centerpiece of an array of structural reforms in Colorado’s second largest school district. If you want the soundbite summary of the work by the University of Colorado Denver and the Center for Education Data and Research, […]
Colorado Digital Learning Policies Middle of the Pack with Room for Great Improvement
Yesterday I let you know about Education Policy Center director Pam Benigno’s published response to Colorado’s K-12 controversy of the month concerning online education programs. One of the great aspects of her piece was the focus on effective student-centered policy solutions. She directly suggested changes to how students are counted and funded — whether a […]
Balancing Innovation, Accountability in Cyberschools
Technological advances are continually creating new opportunities to effectively educate Colorado’s K-12 students through online learning. Colorado needs to look forward in protecting an environment for innovation, while balancing needed accountability for cyberschool operators. As we take an honest look at the data and seek to find answers, let’s not turn back the clock on expanded educational opportunities.
Effective Colorado Online K-12 Education? Change Policies Without More Regulation
Colorado’s education story of the month — the state of public online schools — merits a response. The discouraging news raised by Ed News Colorado’s three-part investigative series cannot be completely brushed aside, but a Denver Post op-ed by the Education Policy Center’s Pam Benigno provides needed context and a focus on genuine, equitable policy solutions that benefit students and support families’ ability to choose among excellent education options. The last thing online schools and students need is more onerous regulation.
