How Far Will Colorado Reform “Human Capital” to Win Race to the Top?
Education leaders here in Colorado have shown a great deal of interest in the federal Race to the Top dollars, a multi-billion dollar program that we are told is designed to spur reform. In order to be eligible for rewards, states will be rated according how well their policies and goals line up with innovative […]
Maybe Cary Kennedy Can Have It Both Ways; I Don’t Want to Be a Politician
State Treasurer Cary Kennedy seems like a nice lady, and I think it must be hard being a politician in such an office — especially during the tough budget times faced by state government and the difficult decisions that requires. But does the current budget reality mean Treasurer Kennedy can have it both ways?
As the […]
Michigan Voters: Schools Underfunded — But Do They Know Actual Spending?
This week the Detroit News reported on one of the measured reactions Michiganders have to proposals to address that state’s budget crisis:
Local public school districts have too little funding to provide a quality education, according to 60 percent of voters surveyed in an exclusive Detroit News/WXYZ (Channel 7) poll released Tuesday.
Only 23 percent of respondents […]
Colorado Needs Standards for Tax-Funded Union Release Time
In many Colorado school districts, taxpayers are subsidizing union presidents and/or other officers to take release time from the classroom for union business. Back in 2003-04 the practice cost Colorado taxpayers at least $775,000 (PDF). Since nothing is known to have changed to crack down on the process, the figure must be considerably more these […]
Arizona Shows K-12 Tax Credit Program Saves State Millions of Dollars
Should Colorado enact a K-12 scholarship tax credit program that empowers families to choose private schools? It may sound crazy politically, yet the idea would make sense not only to expand choice for families but also to help the state save money during an especially tough budget year.
What, you say, you don’t believe that it […]
Real Alternative Certification May Actually Help Boost Student Learning
I’ve told you before about groups like ABCTE that are reaching out to top-notch professionals and making it easier for them to make an effective transition into classroom teaching. But where’s the proof this is a good idea for the bottom line of education?
In the new edition of Education Next, Daniel Nadler and Paul Peterson […]
Hoping Race to the Top Spurs Colorado Funding, Teacher, STEM Innovations
Katie Redding at the Colorado Independent reported yesterday on the official recommendations for Colorado’s application to receive Race to the Top federal reform dollars. One of my Education Policy Center friends got a chance to chime in:
Ben DeGrow, education policy analyst for the free-market Independence Institute, found much to like about the application, particularly the […]
Is There a Third Way in the Debate over Teacher Pensions?
Over at Education Next (one of my favorite stops these days), professors Robert Costrell and Michael Podgursky say there may be a way to make a positive move beyond the traditional debate over teacher pensions:
The critics of DB [defined benefit plans] are correct that current plans are seriously underfunded in part because benefits are not […]
Courts Should Not Mess With School Funding
Colorado’s top judges have opened the door to re-crafting our school finance system from the bench when they should have avoided the possibility altogether.
Good News from the Gold Dome
Good picks by a Republican leader! Colorado Senate News has reported that Republican Senate leader Josh Penry will appoint a Democrat to the Interim Committee to Study Financing of Public Schools. The Democrat is education reformer Michael Johnston, …
