Douglas County: Building a Better Education Model
- September 30, 2013
EDUCATION – Issue Papers
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- EDUCATION – Issue Papers
Pioneering Teacher Compensation Reform: K-12 Educator Pay Innovation in Colorado0
- March 30, 2011
The transformation of teacher compensation is an integral piece of improving the overall quality of the K-12 instructional workforce. Research overwhelmingly shows the predominant single salary schedule, which pays teachers strictly according to seniority and academic credentials, to be ineffective and financially unsustainable. Numerous local innovations — led by Harrison School District Two, Eagle County Schools, and a number of public charter schools — place Colorado at the forefront of teacher compensation reform.
READ MOREColorado Schools and Association Release Time: Making the Privilege Accountable to Citizens0
- February 12, 2010
For the sake of public accountability and transparency, Colorado needs more effective oversight of education employee association leave. Through locally negotiated policies, many Colorado school districts grant release time privileges to local employee associations. Teachers and classified employees are excused from professional duties to serve extended periods as association officers or to spend particular days performing various association-related activities.
READ MOREColorado’s Homeschool Law Turns Twenty: The Battle Should Never Be Forgotten0
- December 31, 2008
As explained by author Marya DeGrow, conflict between some Colorado public school districts and parents led to the adoption of a 1988 legislative bill that established guidelines for home education.
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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Will President Obama's School Reform Bring the Change Kids Need?0
- December 19, 2008
Barack Obama aspires to be an education president, but what kind of education president will he be? As a candidate, Obama has taken conflicting positions. Both the anti-reform National Education Association and the reformist Democrats for Education Reform claim him as their own. An analysis of candidate Obama’s education platform reveals elements of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
READ MOREDeferred Retirement Compensation for Career K-12 Employees: Understanding the Need for Reform0
- December 18, 2008
To improve understanding of public K-12 retirement compensation, this Issue Paper provides historical estimates using a substantial sample of retiree characteristics and salary histories. Deferred retirement compensation from a hybrid defined benefit plan is defined as the difference between an employee’s estimated retirement account balance and the greater pension value she expects to receive. When accounting for K-12 employee compensation, large amounts of deferred compensation should be included. For the 846 Denver Public Schools retirees in the sample, average lump sum deferred compensation is $627,570.
READ MOREDouglas County's Home-Grown Teachers: The Learning Center Waiver Program0
- August 25, 2008
Seeking a creative solution to shortages in various teaching positions, Douglas County School District received a waiver from the state of Colorado to license and train its own teachers through the Learning Center. The district currently is able to license teachers in areas such as math, science, and world languages; to provide special education endorsements to teachers in other specialties; and to equip unlicensed professionals with the basic skills to teach more highly specialized courses to high schoolers. The waiver is scheduled to be renewed at the end of 2008, contingent on Douglas County meeting certain performance goals.
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