Scholarship Tax Credits Could Help Denver, Aurora HS Students Overcome Challenges

by Eddie | 11:05 am, April 12, 2013

For those who long have rolled up their sleeves to try to improve student learning, the cause of urban high school reform remains one of the most daunting tasks. Even in areas where the most concentrated and sustained efforts at reform have taken place, the promising results have been very limited. Enter a brand new [...]

Can We Get a Truly Comparable Picture of State Graduation Rates?

by Eddie | 1:38 pm, January 4, 2013

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 [...]

Colorado School Grades Website Returns to Inform Parents for Second Year

by Eddie | 5:13 pm, December 18, 2012

Can you believe it’s been a whole year since the launch of the Colorado School Grades website? My friends at the Independence Institute are proud to be one of the 18 sponsoring partners of this helpful resource.
The passing of 12 months means a whole new set of data, and a lot of curious parents searching [...]

Ridgeview Classical Continues Exceptional Approach in Pursuit of Excellence

by Eddie | 12:13 pm, December 17, 2012

Recently I told you about my Education Policy Center friends’ visit to Liberty Common High School in Fort Collins — which principal just so happens to be outgoing State Board of Education chair Bob Schaffer (whose farewell dinner earned a nice tribute in the Colorado Statesman). Well, if you’re going to make the 2-hour round [...]

Colorado Initiative’s Early Success Raises the Math and Science Bar (Gulp)

by Eddie | 2:46 pm, October 26, 2012

I occasionally get accused of being some kind of verbal prodigy. Less often do I get asked about my math and science skills. And frankly, it’s fine with me not to go there. But I get the scope of the problem associated with not enough students qualified and ready for careers in science, math and [...]

Will Modern Skyview Campus, Choice Set Stage for Mapleton Academic Success?

by Eddie | 11:26 am, October 9, 2012

Yesterday I shared some thoughts about how a growing Brighton district with some crowded schools might find some creative solutions to its problem. While securing safe, functional and adequate facilities is a high priority for some school districts, others can bask gratefully in their new quarters and hopefully focus even more on the mission of [...]

Could Crowded Brighton Schools (More Comfortably) Think Outside the Box?

by Eddie | 4:42 pm, October 8, 2012

A Denver Post Your Hub story from last week by Joey Kirchmer chronicles some growing pains in Brighton School District:
Brighton High School and Prairie View High School are at or over capacity this school year, which has forced administrators to turn to outdoor modular classrooms, roaming teachers and possibly start looking at a split-schedule system.

Around [...]

NY High School Success Calls for Look at Old-Fashioned Writing Instruction

by Eddie | 4:19 pm, October 1, 2012

Some of you out there probably think I’m starting to get lazy. Just pick out an education-themed article and point you two it, then head along on my way. But this one I couldn’t resist. A new piece in The Atlantic magazine by Peg Tyre gets at the nitty-gritty of learning and knowledge through telling [...]

Six Falcon 49 Schools Win Innovation Status as Board Nears Important Crossroads

by Eddie | 12:33 pm, June 14, 2012

About six weeks ago I shared with readers that the Falcon School District 49 innovation plan was nearing a crossroads. That crucial time may now be upon us. As reported in the Colorado Springs Gazette, the Colorado State Board of Education yesterday unanimously approved requests to give six District 49 schools official innovation status:
“Innovation is [...]

“True North” Report Calls on Denver Public Schools to Refocus, Raise the Bar

by Eddie | 10:46 am, May 23, 2012

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, [...]

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• PPC Training for Activists

  UPDATE: Something apparently got messed up with the PayPal buttons during this past weekend’s database glitch – fixed now. Yes, it’s that time again — PPC will be conducting training classes for center-right activists on Saturday, April 20 and Saturday, April 27, at Independence Institute in Denver. The tentative class schedule is as follows: Saturday, [...]

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